


Sailor Moon H: The order of the phoenix

by The_Elephant_in_the_Pride_Parade



Series: Sailor Moon H [1]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Original Character(s), Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-06 13:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 146,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5418713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Elephant_in_the_Pride_Parade/pseuds/The_Elephant_in_the_Pride_Parade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mamoru's star seed is not returned to Tokyo at the end of Sailor Stars, instead, he was send back to be reincarnated into late 20th century Wizarding Britain. now the scouts must enrol at Hogwarts to find him. They soon find themselves caught up in the beginnings of the Second Wizarding War, and in the crosshairs of a certain immortality-obsessed Dark Lord. A Missing Prince is about to be the least of their problems...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> dont own either series, just making mischief. ;)

**The Missing Prince**

“Mamo-Chan!” Usagi crowed into the door buzzer. “Mamo-chan you’d better be awake.” She pouted, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I need to see you.”

“Give him a chance to get to the door Usagi,” Luna said gently.

“I _know_.” Usagi sighed. “But the last time I saw him doesn’t count. Now we’re back. And I need to make sure.

“He is fine,” her advisor purred. “He’ll have been returned safe and sound like the rest of you.”

“Uh huh,” Usagi nodded. But immediately proceeded to ring the buzzer again. “Mamo-chan please…please.” She begged, ringing it yet another time.

She couldn’t help it. No matter how real her memories of the Galaxy Cauldron were, seeing Mamoru disintegrate in front of her was still a far more haunting memory, as was his possessed self kneeling at Galaxia’s feet, and then dying again, falling backwards into the cauldron.

“Why isn’t he answering?” Usagi sniffed.

“Well…maybe he is asleep,” Luna suggested. “I suppose it isn’t impossible.”

“No, it’s not!” Usagi decided. “And hey, why should I have to wait down here.” Her hand closed around the brooch ever-present on the bow of her high school uniform “Moon Eternal MAKE-UP!”

“USAGI!” Luna leapt from her shoulder as her transformation took effect, scanning around. Thank goodness everyone was at work this time of day. “I know you’ve been through a lot, but we should still be subtle.”

“Not today, Luna. Come on!” Eternal Sailor Moon said, and scooped up the cat before leaping into the air, wings propelling her up the tall apartment building to the fifteenth floor, where she landed softly on Mamoru’s balcony. Luna was about to reprimand her again (because _flying_ in a _neighbourhood_ in _broad daylight_ )when she glimpsed the interior of Mamoru’s apartment and thought better of it.

Perhaps Usagi’s instincts were something she should put more trust in.

“It’s dark,” Sailor Moon murmured, pressing her face to the glass as Luna began to scratch the door open. Between she and Sailor Moon, they managed to pry the doors apart after a few minutes and both of them stumbled into the dark apartment as the door slid open

“Mamo-chan!” Sailor Moon yelled into the building.

Luna noticed she’d conjured her Moon Wand and frowned. “I don’t sense any enemy here, Sailor Moon.”

“But there has to be,” she said, checking the closet, the bathroom, and then running into the living room. “Maybe Chaos followed him here!”

“How would it do that when you effectively destroyed it?”

“It…just…what if I missed something,” Sailor Moon said, swiping at the dust on the bookcase. “He…loves his books…he would have cleaned these as soon as he came back.”

“Sailor Moon,” Luna said, hopping up on top of the bookcase. Her landing sent  months worth of dust flying. She coughed. “You beat Chaos, there’s nothing of it left to chase you here.”

“Then…has Mamoru not come back,” Luna saw her transformation failing as the thought set in and leapt into Usagi’s arms as her school uniform returned. She wasn’t surprised when the tears started falling. “Is he really…”

“He _isn’t_ dead,” Luna insisted, pawing at the communicator on Usagi’s wrist. “Let’s call the girls – we’re going to find him.”

~ _SMH~_

“His energy signature’s quite faint,” Hotaru concluded, opening her eyes as she addressed Usagi, who was sitting on Mamoru’s bed, hugging his pillow while Makoto and Rei supported her on both sides. “I would say that his soul has not returned here since Chaos’ defeat.”

“But…but…” Usagi sniffed, trying not to cry.

 _She’s grown so much_ , Minako thought as she leaned around Rei to grasp Usagi’s hand. _Though really, no one would blame her right now if she lost it._

“But what about _Chibiusa…_ he needs to be here to…to...”

“We’re not saying he’s dead,” Sailor Pluto said softly as she emerged from the Time Doors (which had just materialised in the corner of the room). Pluto went to Usagi and went to one knee before her. She snapped her fingers and everyone leaned in as an image appeared above her palm – of Chibiusa, the same age they’d last seen her, greeting both her parents warmly. “This was her own return from the Galaxy Cauldron. Her future is safe and well.”

“Then where is Mamo-chan?” Usagi asked.

“I’m _looking_ ,” Hotaru said, brown furrowing as she closed her eyes once more. “That is the thing: I can sense his star seed, but it’s different than it was before. I think…I think he may have been more than reborn…he’s been reincarnated.”

The room gasped, everyone unsure exactly what that meant.

Usagi’s eyes bugged out of her head. “You mean he’s a…a.” Most of them managed to plug their ears by the time she started to wail. “A _baby_.”

“That would be a romance-killer,” Minako muttered.

“He…he may not be,” Hotaru said, drawing her henshin wand. “Mama and I can…ah,” she winced as Usagi’s wails reached a particularly ear-splitting pitch. “We’re going to figure it out,”

“We’ll be back shortly.” Pluto said, slamming the butt of the garnet rod against the floor. The Time Doors swung open and Hotaru transformed, both Sailors exiting the room.

“Hurry back,” Michiru called after them, and grabbed Haruka by the back of her collar as she tried to dash through the doors, covering her ears. “Uh, uh. You’re helping calm her down.”

“ _Why me_?” she hissed.

“Cause you’re good at it, and your eyes remind her of Mamoru’s,” Michiru said, pushing her girlfriend towards the crying princess. “Go on, give her your smoulder eyes; she thinks they’re sexy.”

Haruka blushed. “ _Everyone_ can hear you.” But she went to Usagi regardless, and knelt close to her, placing a hand on her arm. “Hey, Usako…” she said, using Mamoru’s name for the princess. The strength of her wailing lessened and everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. They crowded together around Usagi as Ruka calmed her down, all of them keeping an eye on the Time Doors, which remained standing in the corner.

Usagi was quiet by the time Pluto and Saturn returned, head buried in her hands while all of them waited anxiously. The seven of them all turned immediately to the Time Doors when they clicked open across the room.

"He is alright, from what we can see," Pluto announced as Saturn de-transformed beside her. "And his soul was sent back earlier in time - so he is currently, not a baby."

"Thank goodness," Usagi murmured, wiping her eyes.

"He may, actually, be your own age," Hotaru piped up. "We think he's about fifteen."

"Where is he?" Usagi asked, clutching her brooch, ready to transform and fly to him as soon as she knew.

"That is where things get...ah...dicey," Pluto said, her mouth twisting into an irritated frown. "I can narrow down the location of his magic to the United Kingdom...but past that he is obscured by the many other magics around him."

"Is he trapped?" Haruka asked.

"Far from it," Pluto said. "I think he may have been reborn amongst the Wix, their magic would certainly be powerful enough to mask his identity."

“Wix?” Ami asked from her place beside Makoto, leaning forward towards Pluto. “There are…other magical beings on Earth, you mean?”

“Certainly,” Pluto nodded. “The UK has a fairly large concentration of them, in fact – but then, they also have one of the oldest schools of magic. It was quite the turning point in their ability to foster communities. In most places, Wix are limited to one family or maybe two in a population area – anyone born outside those families is discovered by chance. But in communities that built schools, much more organized nations of Wix developed parallel to ordinary human civilizations.   Japan has the oldest; Its Kyoto school, Mahoutokoro Academy, begins accepting students at eleven, as is standard in most magical circles.

Minako gasped. “So the letter wasn’t a _hoax_! Artemis, you little shit!”

All eyes turned towards her.

“Mina,” Artemis chuckled “Look you ah…you had a different mission. Kyoto wouldn’t have helped you join with the rest of your team…you wouldn’t even have been in Tokyo when they needed you.”

“But I could have gone to _Magic School_!” she huffed.

“You… but…” Ami looked to Luna “Minako is a Wix?”

Luna shook her head. “Japan’s school acts differently – they recognize and invite a more diverse array of magical beings into their academy than most Wix civilizations. But they only invite those who develop magic by the age of 11.  Minako had her transformation by then, and thus received a letter while she was in London. But it wouldn’t have mattered,” Luna said, flicking her tail towards Minako. “An education at Mahoutokoro would have meant a forfeiture of your training as a senshi – and I think you can see which would have been more important at the time.”

Minako scowled. “But if I’d known it was a real place…”

“I’m sorry,” Artemis said.

“It’d have been helpful now,” she continued to pout. “Especially if we’re to be investigating a magical community – I want to blend in.”

"I don't care if we stand out!" Usagi insisted. "I’ll find Mamo-chan. I’ll do whatever it takes."

 “Does this mean we all get to go?" Hotaru asked Pluto excitedly.

"Go where?" Ami asked.

"To school of course!" Hotaru said, grinning. "I've seen some Wix schools with my powers, but I’ve never visited any – and Britain’s supposed to have a really stunning one!"

"Are there any...hot wizards?" Makoto smirked.

"Possibly," Pluto considered, tilting her head to the side. "Mamoru’s reincarnation would be school age…and it would likely be more effective to search for him within the school in any case - all your potential candidates would be in one location.”

"Yes!" Usagi decided. "I'd do anything to bring him back...even study!"

"Be careful when you tell her that – she's practically Ami!" Minako hissed, but Pluto was smirking. She gave the other senshi a wink before stepping back through the Time Doors.

"You should all go home for now – It may take me a while to arrange things. And keep an eye on the skies for the next few days; Wix don’t deliver their post by conventional means.”

And before they could ask what she meant, she’d stepped back into the Time Dimension, the doors to it fading immediately from the room.

~ _SMH_ ~

While “a while”, for Pluto, was approximately three days, it was barely one for the scouts.  The matter turned out not to be as difficult as she'd anticipated. Bureaucracies all functioned the same way regardless of their degree of magic.  It was a simple matter of journeying to Japan’s Magical Council, contacting the Magical division of the British Consulate, and obtaining the transfer paperwork.  The difficult part was filing it enough in advance.  It seemed Britain was rather isolationist of late, and its ministry had a fair number of roadblocks up that restricted international magical students. She traveled back approximately a year’s time to when the rules had briefly been relaxed in order to arrange and process the students participating in some inter-scholastic tournament. She managed to get the owl sent in on the proper day, and by the time she returned to the outer scouts apartment, three letters had already arrived.

“Where’s yours?” Hotaru queried as she fed the post owl a bit of her lunch.

“I won’t be attending,” Setsuna said, picking up the supply-list that had accompanied the owl and scanning through it. _List of required_ _Defense Against the Dark Arts course books shall be delivered later in the summer... odd._ “Unlike Haruka and Michiru, I can’t pass for school age.”

“What is school age again?” Haruka asked, coming in from the balcony with Michiru.

“17 and 18 are the oldest students.”

“So we’ll be joining the oldest year,” Michiru considered. “If we’re taking courses with the most advanced students, won’t our lack of magical knowledge be a problem?”

“I don’t anticipate it,” Setsuna said. “They’re aware your education may have been different. That said, we’ll take a trip to get the books and wands next weekend – you’ll have plenty of time to practice certain spells and theories…and I have a feeling that you’ll be naturally attuned to certain types of magic.”

“Such as water based spells?” Michiru guessed.

“Precisely,” Setsuna smiled.

“And where will you be while we’re studying?” Haruka asked.

“I’ll be around as a student advisor, but I shall be spending the year in the Time Dimension…truly I’d prefer to be closer, but the Wix society confuses my view of the future. While I can see it a bit more clearly from within, I would lose sight of the rest of time should I chose that option.”

“And you need to keep Crystal Tokyo on-track,” Haruka surmised. “Just don’t lock yourself away too long.”

She was about to retort that she had  _never_ “locked” herself in the time dimension when the communicator on her wrist began to beep frantically.

“Setsuna-san!” Usagi’s voice called through the device. “I can’t read the letter – it’s all in English!”

“The school _is_ in Scotland, Usagi,” they heard Luna say.

“I know – but I don’t speak English!” Usagi cried. “Setsuna! Does this mean Mamo-chan won’t know Japanese anymore? How am I supposed to find him! I failed English class!”

Setsuna muted the volume on the communicator as the princess started to wail and sighed. “Calm down Usagi, I’ll have a solution for you next weekend.”

“Th-thank you,” Usagi sniffed. “I’m sorry. I’m just so worried.”

“We’ll find him just fine, Usako,” Haruka consoled her.

“Kay, sorry. Oh! Also, I need you to convince my mother that this is a boarding school I’ve got accepted to. I tried to tell her and she doesn’t believe me.”

Haruka slapped a hand over her face while the other outer senshi tried not to laugh.

“I’ll be over tomorrow morning to convince her,” Setsuna told Usagi. “We’ll say you won a contest.”

“That will work!” Usagi cheered. “Thanks Setsuna-san.”

“She does have a good point about not speaking the language.” Michiru said once the communicator had shut off. “My English is okay, but I’m not comfortable using it for undercover work.”

“I have a few ideas about it,” Setsuna said. “I think we’ll be able to resolve it when we go to buy the school supplies.”

“Where do we have to go for those again?” Haruka asked.

“London of course,” Setsuna said, and grinned when Hotaru gasped in excitement. “It won’t take long, but I say we take a whole weekend anyways – Minako is going to insist on a grand tour…”

~ _SMH_ ~

On the other side of the globe, where dawn hadn’t even arrived on Saturday morning, a headmaster was hunched over his desk, pouring over two mountains of paperwork. On the left were documents pertaining to the fast approaching school year; on the right, a sheaf of parchment varying from old spy reports, to newspaper clippings, school, employment, criminal, and voting records. On the top were the grizzly details of the most recent muggle hate crimes and the guerrilla attacks on what _The Prophet_ considered “random” targets (all of which happened to relate to muggle-borns and blood traitors).

“I should ask why you’re still awake,” Minerva said as she barged through his office door. “Though at the moment I’ve a more important question.”

And she was suddenly dangling the student roster in front of him. “I just rechecked this against the Muggle-born letters I’m going to be delivering tomorrow – and how is it suddenly I have eight new students on my roster who’s letters were sent today – to _Japan_ no less.”

Dumbledore rubbed his eyes. “For the same reason I got a rather irritated floo call from the Minister’s office. We have eight transfer students joining our number, and the ever-good-natured Mr. Fudge appears to think I snuck them in during last year’s period of laxened transfer rules. It was most curious actually. I don’t remember the paperwork being filed nor do I recall being contacted by interested students during that time-period – and curiously enough these students have previously been home-schooled.”

“So these are not first years?”

“One is, to my knowledge.” Dumbledore hummed, scanning his eyes between the documents about war and those about the school. “Though I’m sorry to say I haven’t given them much thought – have we made any progress with the old members?”

“I heard back from the Vances today – Emmeline’s brother declined. Said he wasn’t getting mixed up in the bloody mess,” she scowled. “Fool.”

“You can’t blame those grief-stricken for their caution,” Dumbledore advised her. “They pull back out of fear.”

“That same fear’s led Molly to throwing herself into the effort,” Minerva retorted. “She knows the toll paid because so few resisted the last time.”

“Not all of us have Gryffindor’s bravery in the face of fear.”

“Bravery’s got nothing to do with it,” Minerva said “They could all use a bit more of Ravenclaw’s sense, to my way of thinking”

“Fear has a way of addling that too, unfortunately,” Dumbledore sighed, reaching for the pepper-up potion across his desk. He took a long swig. “Just as it has kept any of my potential candidates from accepting the defence post.”

“I thought Moody said he would – ”

“Still recovering from his time as Barty Crouch’s hostage last year,” Dumbledore frowned. “And the Governors have accepted The Ministry’s ‘offer’ to assign someone to the post – I must say, I am not found of their shortlist.”

As he spoke, the appropriate letter pulled itself free of the “School” pile and floated into Minerva’s hand. The Deptuy Headmistress pursed her lips as she read. “Death Eater…Death Eater. Jorgenson… _no_ , he barely scrapped an acceptable on his N.E.W.T. they can’t just throw him at us because he’s a danger to the Auror office.”

“They can and they will,” Dumbledore said. “I have to approve one of their choices by tomorrow evening.”

“Non are good…Dolores Umbridge,” Mcgonagall murmured. “I don’t recall her as a student.”

“She’s the Minister’s right hand at the moment,” Dumbledore said.

“Lackey, you mean.” Mcgonagall frowned. “Like as not she’ll try to teach them as little as she possibly can. Is it true Fudge thinks we’re training soldiers?”

“Aren’t we though,” Dumbledore said, reaching for a lemon drop. “I admit – I am at a loss.”

Minerva looked between he and the list and tapped her wand against it, transfiguring it into a brass name plaque identical to those on each professor’s desk.

_Prof. Umbridge._

“I’d rather someone who’ll teach them nothing, than someone who’ll teach them wrong.” Minerva reasoned. “And I won’t stand for anymore Death Eaters in my school. I also don’t relish the thought of Jorgenson exploding his classroom – he was nearly as bad as Mr. Finnegan.” She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose “With any luck, Ms. Umbridge will at least let us recommend the textbook.”

“Then I’ll put in for her assignment,” Dumbledore decided, looking out the window. “I should contact this transfer advisor…Ms. Meioh as well – she’s no idea the situation her students will be walking into.”

“We’re hardly at war yet, Albus.” Minerva said.  
“But Voldemort will not remain in the shadows for long,” Dumbledore said, ignoring his deputy’s flinch at the name. “I just hope the Order can out-maneuverer him before his power grows too great.”

Just then, the fire flared up and a piece of parchment spit out of it. Minerva summoned it to her hand and let out a colourful string of curses.

“Of all the idiotic…” she muttered. “No rest for either of us now. Potter’s gone and got himself expelled.”

~ _I S_ _olemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good_ ~

 

 


	2. Sailor V's Old Stomping Ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In preparation for a year at Hogwarts, the scouts have to take a school-shopping trip to Diagon Alley in London. Shenanigans are sure to ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weekly to Biweekly Updates with this. HOGWARTS in the next chapter.

**Sailor V’s Old Stomping Ground**

“Ohhh! And that would be the Girkin – I think.” Minako said, pointing a finger out of the glass pod of the London Eye towards the newest skyscrapers in the city

“You think?” Haruka asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well it wasn’t done yet when I was here - just under construction along with a couple other ones. But I know it’s supposed to be the ugly one – ANYWAYS! That’s where I nabbed one of my first perps!” Minako cheered.

“And delayed construction of the building by a year,” Artemis muttered.

“Nobody’s perfect,” Minako laughed. “Oh and _that_ bridge over there,”

“Which one?” Usagi said, straining to see.

“That one,” Minako pointed again. “I nearly broke that one in two once – I mean the guy from the Dark Agency did. And Artemis fell in the Thames.”

“You _knocked me in_!”

“Accidentally,” Mina huffed.

“Oh don’t worry about it Mina-chan!” Usagi said, putting an arm around her shoulders. “I knew I couldn’t be the only clumsy one.”

“I was not clumsy.” Minako murmured.

“Sure you weren’t,” Haruka said. “Can we see the Tate from up here?”

“Uh, yeah…that one over there.” Minako said, pointing down the riverbank.

“Oh good its close,” Michiru murmured. “We are definitely going there later.”

“All of us,” Usagi whined. “I mean, I’m sure all the art is pretty but…”

“No, you are not _all_ coming,” Haruka said, putting an arm around Michiru. “You can find somewhere else to be.”

“Mina!” Rei called across the pod. “How do we get on one of those ferry cruises?”

“I am glad you asked,” Minako said, stepping across the glass pod and pulling two tabs of paper out of her pocket. “We get on with tickets like these!” She grinned at Rei’s startled expression. “No better way to see the city all lit up at night…well except for up here.”

“I want to go on a river cruise,” Usagi pouted.

“Get your own d – ” Mina started to say until she realized that Usagi certainly would want to go on a date with Mamoru. “I mean don’t worry – I got tickets for everyone…didn’t I, Setsuna?”

Setsuna shook her head. “Yes, but if I recall you left the other tickets in your bag... which I’ve already dropped off where we’re staying.”

“Ah yeah funny how I did that.” Minako chuckled.

“It’s just as well – we’ll need to make a trip there before it get’s dark anyways. And I have to get you all your translation charms as well.”

“Are they real charms?” Ami asked, briefly turning away from where she, Hotaru, and Makoto were scanning through the display screen reading different facts about London’s landmarks.

“Yes, and you’ll have plenty of time to learn how it works once we get your wand and books,” Setsuna adds.

“Right, but we’re not doing it today.” Minako affirmed again. “One day is entirely tourist-ing. Where’s the place we have to go again?”

“Charing Cross Road.”

“Ohhh! Good! We’re taking the long way then – I can show you all the places round there I helped Katherine out and beat up the Dark Agency and where Ace…yeah.” Minako got quiet for a moment, lost in memories both fond and painful, before shaking head. “It was a pretty busy area for evil doing.”

“Hopefully not anymore,” Setsuna said. “Now before we get too low to see, you are going to point us towards a good spot for lunch, yes?”

“Oh yeah!” Minako said, pressing her face to the glass and scanning the approaching ground. “Well there’s tons of stuff along the South Bank…ohh! There’s a Creperie that way, but we have to make sure we don’t lose Ami in the Book Market.”

“Book…Market…” Ami said, leaving the computer to peer out Minako’s side of the pod, hoping to spot yet another wonder among London’s crowds.

~ _SMH_ ~

“And that’s where I saved Artemis from a rat!”

“I was perfectly fine,” her familiar protested as he kept pace with her, glancing hastily at Luna beside him.

“Ha!” Mina laughed, smirking down at him. “You ran right out into the street screaming like a…a kitten.”

“It was a very big rat,” Artemis protested, ears drooping as the senshi – and even Luna – chuckled.

“We’re here.” Setsuna announced, pointing to the dingy sign that hung above a pub just across the road.

“That place,” Minako squinted in the bright afternoon sun at the old, rusting sign above the pub. “ _The Leaky Cauldron…_ Funny…I recognize it somehow…but I don’t think I’ve ever been inside…”

“You would have been well underage at the time,” Haruka pointed out.

“Setsuna you’re sure about this place…” Michiru wondered, wrinkling her nose. “It looks like a dive bar.”

“I promise the inside is quaint, but accommodating – and clean.” Setsuna says as she directs them all to the nearest crosswalk. “Besides I thought it best to stay within Wizarding London if at all possible – and this is the entrance to it.”

“All of Wizarding London?” Makoto asked sceptically. Indeed, it didn’t look like much.

“Even back while I was here?” Mina queried. She took in the battered appearance – the dirt and soot permanently coloured into the old bricks, the blurry glass on the windows and the shudders hanging lopsided on their hinges. It didn’t even appear as though there was anyone inside.

“The outside is meant to discourage those who don’t know what lies beyond from entering,” Setsuna said. “I believe it’s a side-effect of their non-magical repellent charms. To those without any magic it should just appear as a wall.”

“Wait!” Minako gasped as the light above the crosswalk turned green. “Now I know why it’s familiar!” Her face darkened. “You say it looks like a brick wall to non-magicals?”

“Yes,” Setsuna nodded, stepping onto the pavement once more and approaching the battered old door of the pub.

“Then I have been here before. My first year as a senshi I helped Katherine with a string of assaults and muggings in this neighbourhood,” she said, scanning around the bright street.

“Those were the times all the victims had amnesia afterwards!” Artemis recalled.

“Yeah…but all of them tested negative for drugs.” Minako cracked her knuckles. “Told her once we should ask around in this pub for anyone suspicious and she hadn’t the faintest clue what I was seeing. Cases all ended up going cold… could that have been wizards’ work? Bet they’d disappear back here with no one the wiser.”

“It’s plausible unfortunately,” Setsuna sighed. “In any case…shall we go inside?”

“Sure…maybe the bartender will know something.”

“Mina…it’s been years,” Rei whispered.

“Yeah well that doesn’t mean I can’t still fight for justice – I am a senshi of it after all.”

“Hush about that,” Artemis advised, and he hopped up onto her shoulder as they entered the pub. “I’ve heard Britain is not as accepting of magical girls as the Japanese are…”

His voice trailed off as a patron near the door looked up from his lunch to stare before shaking his head and muttering away about “misuse” of “parroting charms.” He had a peculiar sense of fashion, Minako thought. Rather than a shirt and trousers he had a robe of dark blue that reached down to just below his knees and dark boots laced up to his calves. And on top of the robe he wore a belt with…a wooden stick affixed to the side.

“Well I guess it is clean,” Michiru murmured, looking around. The walls inside were dull red brick – aged, yes – but they appeared no worse for wear. And neat sets of wooden tables and chairs gave the pub quite a homely feeling. Several of the girls did a double take, as a chair appeared to tuck _itself_ into one of the tables unaided.

“Ah! Ms. Meioh!” a gruff older man said, having just emerged from what must have been the kitchen. “This all your students?”

“They are, two of them have brought their cats as well – familiars. That won’t be a problem, I hope.” she said in perfect English.

“Where did she learn to speak so well?” Ami marvelled.

“Beats me,” Makoto shrugged. “Maybe it's a time-guardian thing.”

“Nah – cats got nothing on some of the beasties my clients bring in. Got a guy once who brought me a baby Chimera. Now – he’s a half-giant, mind. They don’t bother him so much. But he gave some ah’ my regulars a fright. Any who – here's the keys,” The bartender raised an ordinary looking stick in the air and gave it a sharp flick.

They had to try hard to stifle a gasp when three pairs of keys jingled as they whizzed off of their hooks behind the counter, straight into the palm of his hand. “Third floor…though I hope you don’t mind not having a single for yourself.”

“That’s absolutely fine,” Setsuna said, taking the keys. “Some of them I don’t trust to their own rooms anyways.”

“Did I understand that wrong?” Haruka murmured to Michiru, “Or did she just insult us?”

“She is pretending to be our teacher,” Michiru pointed out. “Besides you most certainly require extra supervision, you flirt.”

“Right,” Setsuna said, passing out the keys. “There’s one double room.”

“Dibs,” Minako shouted, darting around Michiru to snatch them.

“And a room for three and four…which I presume shall now be Usagi, Ami, and Makoto and the four of us,” She said, nodding to Hotaru, Haruka and Michiru.

“Yes!” Hotaru cheered. “Do they have TV here? Can we have movie night like we used to?”

“I don’t believe so,” Setsuna said, tossing the keys to the young girl. “But, since we’re taking you out to the orchestra tonight, I doubt you’ll mind.”

“Aww look at that: a cute family date – by the way,” Minako grinned, nudging Rei with her elbow. “After the cruise tonight, how’s about you and I have our own date – to the theatre.”

“Did you have anything in mind?” Rei asked, eyes watching closely as Minako fished another set of tickets from her pocket.”

“Depends if this is still your favourite Shakespeare play,” Minako said, brandishing them in the air. The big red letters reading _Globe_ along the side were clear for all to see. “So if we could grab those translating charms early…I mean I’m fluent, but not in ancient prose.”

Setsuna rolled her eyes. “There are only so many times I can cross my own timeline,” she lectures.

“I know and I really appreciate it…” Minako trained her best puppy dog eyes on the stern time guardian and clasped her hands together. “Please Setsuna-chan…for the sake of romance.”

Setsuna sighed and shook her head, giving Mina an exasperated smile. “check your purse.”

Minako cheered, spun around, and dove a hand into her purse. Grinning, she pulled out two plain metal chains with square bronze charms attached – both carved with the same ruin impressed into the metal. “You’re the best!” she cried, startling Setsuna with a firm hug. “Romance is saved!”  
“A date and their own room; that’s not fair,” Haruka pouts. “Say, Hotaru. Don’t you wanna have a sleepover with Usagi, Ami and Makoto?”

“Don’t be silly, Papa!” Hotaru laughed at her. “I wanna stay with you. It’ll be fun!”

Haruka was then left backpedalling over her request. “Yeah it’ll be the best.” And she shot a glare over her shoulder at Minako as Hotaru latched onto her arm. Setsuna smirked at them both before directing the whole big group towards the spiralling stairs in the corner of the room.

“Why wouldn’t she also want Setsuna to stay somewhere else,” Usagi whispered to the girls beside her.

Michiru turned around ahead of them and winked. “That would none of your business.”

~ _SMH_ ~

It took a while to get settled – namely to get used to the mirrors that talked back, the windows that opened and closed on command, and strangest of all to Ami: candles and chandeliers where one would have expected electrical lights.

“I guess non-magicals do have one up on Wix,” Makoto said, flopping down on her bed. She glanced at the nightstand beside her and noticed the newspaper tucked underneath the candlestick. “Hey look at this! The pictures move!”

“Ohh! Let me see!” Ami said, snatching it away. “Oh this is strange – looks like the front page story is a school expulsion.”

“Weird kind of thing to make front page news,” Makoto commented.

“Yeah let me see…oh dear, some of this is clearly magical terminology…but it says someone named Harry Potter…oh it looks like he’s been in the news before he’s got a nickname…quite a long one. Anyways. Harry Potter was expelled after reportedly using magic outside of school…”

~ _SMH_ ~

“And his case is… being reviewed,” Haruka finished reporting to the other outer sailors. Three of them were already dressed for the Orchestra, but Michiru was still doing her hair. “Weird thing to expel someone for – self defence.”

“Wonder if we’ll know any of his friends.” Michiru sighed. “Anything else of note?”

“Uh…not much that I understand…oh hang on.” She squinted at the English text, reading it twice through. “Disappearances…but they’re just short blurbs way in the back…you’d think they’d be more concerned about them.”

“Strange,” Michiru said, turning back to the mirror as she fluffed her hair again.

“You’re looking a bit green, dear,” the mirror’s prim voice chimed in.

“You’re sounding a bit dull,” Michiru retorted.

A crash from the room beside theirs caused the paintings on the wall to rattle and squawk in indignation, and some of the candlesticks to teeter. Two distinct shrieks directly followed the crash, devolving into fits of giggles.

“Oi!” Haruka banged on the wall. “Keep it down, you two.”

Hotaru cackled gleefully as they heard frantic shushing and Rei’s angry voice from the other side of the wall.

“Sorry!” Minako hollered. Setsuna rolled her eyes, shook her head, and smirked. It was going to be a long weekend.

~ _SMH_ ~

“The transfer students are in London getting their supplies,” Mcgonagall reported as she stepped into Dumbledore’s office.

“You’re spying now?” he mused, his eyes darting away from the letter Professor Charity Babbage had left with him yesterday afternoon.

“No,” she sniffed. “But they were hard to miss. I was picking up the new set of broomsticks and as I walked through the Leaky Cauldron there were nine of them – all talking in Japanese, mind.”

“Well then this may be an excellent opportunity,” Dumbledore mused. “I am nearly done preparing everything for the hearing…perhaps I can also invite their Ms. Meioh for a visit.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Though most of them turned in quite late, they were all still up early – Haruka was the first to trek down to the dining room at 7:30 sharp – having woken up to the sound of a train outside and then been tempted downstairs by the smell of breakfast on its way out of the kitchen. Hotaru was hot on her heels – still quite the early riser. Most of the others made their way downstairs by the time Haruka had finished her first cup of tea.

Predictably, she noted as Makoto and Ami slid into their booth, it was the two lovebirds and Usako who had yet to make an appearance.

“Rei’s awake,” Ami offered when she caught Haruka’s glance towards the stairs. “I’d leave it to her to sort out waking them up.”

Ten minutes later, when hot breakfast was being passed around the table, they all found out exactly how the young priestess chose to do just that.

“REI!” Usagi shrieked so loudly from upstairs that even diners in the farthest corner of the pub jerk their heads up, glaring, from their morning tea and crossword. All the senshi raised their eyes to the ceiling as the sounds of crashing, stomping, shouting, and doors slamming, were heard from an ensuing scuffle overhead.

“Morning,” Minako said calmly as she descended the stairs. A loud thump sounded as something was thrown – accompanied by Rei’s sharp laugh and Usagi’s frustrated roar.

“Should we be worried?” Haruka asked.

“Mmm…nope,” Minako smirked, sliding into the booth next to Ami.

“Good,” Haruka nodded, raising her eyebrow as Minako tucked her hair behind her. Ami’s eyes caught the same thing hers did and the younger girl blushed.

“M-mina,” Ami stuttered. “You’ve ah…”

“What?” Minako mumbled through the bite of sausage she had already stuffed into her mouth.

“Here,” Michiru responded, smirking. And she slid a much-used compact of make-up across the table. “You’ve got something on your neck, dear.”

Mina blushed even brighter than Ami as she swiped the make-up off the table, tucking her chin and hastily pulling her hair back around to cover her neck. All the while, Hotaru sat beside Haruka giggling gleefully, accompanied by Makoto’s deeper, howling laugh. Even Setsuna couldn’t quite manage to keep her composure – her grin peaked out from behind her hand.

The laughing redoubled when Usagi finally stormed up to the table, hair sopping wet, all the while shooting glares over her shoulder at Rei – who had followed her much more composed down the stairs. Usagi slumped down into the booth, still glaring, and Rei just smiled coyly, seating herself delicately in the outer-most seat.

“Pass the orange juice,” Rei asked as Usagi grabbed the plate of eggs and dumbed a liberal portion onto her plate. She continued stewing until Makoto reached around Ami to dangle bacon in front of the Moon Princess’ nose.

“Fanks,” Usagi muttered through a full mouthful, perking up as the bacon was dropped onto her plate.

“She dumped water on you, didn’t she?” Hotaru giggled.

“Uh-huh,” Usagi whinged. “It’s not fair.”

“It was effective,” Rei countered.

“You didn’t do that to Mina.”

Rei raised both her eyebrows and smirked, her violet eyes twinkling with impending mischief. She set her glass of orange juice down on the table and leaned in close to Usagi until they were nose to nose. “You’d rather I woke you up like I woke Mina up.”

“ _No she doesn’t_!” Mina blurted out as the rest of the table stifling their laughter to better hear the exchange.

“You didn’t dump water on her so you know what – yeah. I would rather be woken up…however you woke her up.”

“You want to know what I did?” Rei whispered.

“Reeeeeeei!” Minako cried, smacking her hands over her beet-red face.

“I –” and Rei leaned into Usagi further so that Hotaru wouldn’t hear. They all watched, smirking as whatever she whispered made Usagi blush from her neck to her ears and caused her eyes to bug out of her head. Meanwhile Minako was staring down at her plate appearing utterly mortified

“I – uh…” Usagi stuttered as Rei pulled away, looking quite pleased to have gotten the upper hand in the argument. Not to be outdone, Usagi huffed, and stuck out her chin, and retorted: “actually – yeah! I’d much rather you do that next time.”

“ _Moving on!_ ” Minako declared in an overly loud voice that had all the eyes in the pub once again drifting towards them. “I think we should get fitted for uniforms first today.”

“And then the books!” Ami added.

“Ami…” Usagi sighed, shooting wide puppy-dog eyes her way. “Can’t you get them for me?”

“Not a bad idea,” Setsuna remarked. “There should be quite a bit here for you to see, and while my sight is still quite muddled in this world I can say quite certainly it’ll take everyone a while to explore.”

“I’ll pick up the potions supplies then,” Makoto chimed in. “I have a feeling if it’s anything like the spice isle at the grocery store, I’ll be in the apothecary a while.”

“I am all for that,” Michiru affirmed. “That leaves a few more hours to investigate exactly what constitutes high fashion here,” she said referring to a map of the alley she’d picked up from Setsuna – all the clothes shops already highlighted. “Let’s convene for lunch somewhere central…or else meet in the afternoon once everyone’s all set.”

“The latter’s going to be more convenient,” Setsuna confirmed. “In fact, I think we should all save the wands for the last stop. When I went to file all the paperwork with the ministry the clerk hinted that could take a while.”

“Noted,” Haruka nodded, “I definitely don’t want to waste a day in some boring old wand shop.”

“No, and I suspect there’s a couple places that will be of more interest to you,” Setsuna said, reaching into her pocket. “In fact there’s a place right next to the shop I bought these,” she spread seven more translation charms out on the table and a smaller one the size of a bracelet, which she slid towards Usagi. “For Luna… anyways, you’ll notice the shop right away – there’s a broomstick in the front window.”

“As in for cleaning or…” Haruka’s eyes lit up as Setsuna nodded.

“There’s flying brooms!” Mina inferred, grinning. “Excellent!”

“And here I was mourning a year without racing.”

“Oh you’ll be racing all right!” Minako said. “I may not be old enough to drive, but I’d damn well better be old enough to fly.”

“What are you going to do all day, Mama?” Hotaru asked.

“I was going to pick up the robes once the tailor’s done with them and then I thought we might –”

But she didn’t get a chance to finish as an owl announced its presence by flying through the window and over Hotaru’s head. The girl shrieked as the large bird dropped a letter right into Setsuna’s hand.

“It’s from Hogwarts,” Setsuna announced, breaking the seal on the envelope and pulling out a short piece of paper inside. Haruka grabbed the envelope, one hand on her new pendant, and read without any effort.

“Dr. Setsuna Meioh, the corner booth by the stairs, The Leaky Cauldron, number 314 and 1/5th Charing Cross Road, London.” She frowned at the envelope. “Creepy.”

“Quite,” Setsuna agreed. “It appears you’ll be exploring without me – I have a meeting with the Headmaster.” And before they could comment the letter in her hand glowed bright white and she was gone in a flash. No one in the pub batted an eye.

“Wix can…teleport?” Ami said, mouth agape. “Why that takes at least four of us to pull off.”

Indeed, it began to sink in for all of them, while it didn’t necessarily complicate finding Mamoru, such feats of magic by those other than magical girls set them more than a little ill at ease.

“We’ll get you to the proper books about it as soon as we can, Ami,” Minako insisted. “But I don’t care how curious you are – we’re finishing breakfast first.” And with that, she dumped a large load of fried potatoes onto her plate and helped herself to more bacon as well. She was only in London for so long after all. It would go against all the laws of justice not to consume as much of her favourite food as she could – especially as Artemis had decided to sleep in for once. Finally – all the bacon and none of the nagging!

~ _SMH_ ~

“Welcome to Twilfitts!” the cashier in quite formal dress robes said, flashing an absurdly bright smile at them as Michiru and Hotaru pushed open the door of the fancy shop. “Will you require a fitting today,”

“No, thank you.” Michiru said, eyes falling on an attractive looking cloak on a mannequin across the shop room. She twitched when the figurine suddenly turned and waved, wood-carved body moving with living fluidity. Her hand darted towards the henshin wand in her pocket.

Hotaru’s hand reached up to grab hers instead. The younger girl looked between the moving figurine and the shopkeeper. “That Mannequin’s creepy,” Hotaru informed her frankly.

 _Not a youma,_ Michiru reminded herself as she gave Hotaru’s hand a grateful squeeze. Pretending to be used to Wix magic was turning out more stressful than she’d assumed. _Especially all the clearly unnecessary magic._

The shopkeeper laughed. “Don’t like them huh…I admit they used to scare me too when I was young. What are you? Eight?”

“Eleven, actually. She’s my cousin,” Michiru lied without missing a beat.

“Awwww, you’re starting Hogwarts this year then – well you came to the right place for your robes,”

“Well we just picked hers up from Mme. Malkins,” Michiru said. “But I was hoping to look for a few editions that are a bit…classier.” She pulled her best socialite smile. “I am a seventh year myself – it just wouldn’t do to walk around in those drab, black things.”

“Ah – for sure!” The shopkeeper agreed. “I graduated three years ago – some of those girls were perfectly content to just trounce around in all black – oh especially those Ravenclaws, you know.”

“Oh they’ve no sense of fashion at all,” Michiru lied through her teeth. _Whatever is a Ravenclaw?_

“Well let’s see – we’ve got a line of designs from Paris that’s quite the fashion this year…you’ll find all of those items by the fitting rooms. Oh – but surely you want to get your measurements done first.”

“Those tickle,” Hotaru commented wrinkling her nose.

 _Indeed_. They’d had their measurements taken at Mme. Malkins and too many encounters with vined and tentacled youma had left her quite irritated at dealing with the flying, charmed, measuring tape.

“Perhaps later. We’re just looking at cloaks and hats at the moment, and shoes if you sell them.”

“Whole section in the back,” the cashier assured her. “The mirrors are charmed to show what other items they go well with. And all the clothes come in every house color.” She gestured to her own uniform and the delicate gold-and black designs along the hems of her robe “I know it’s a bit gauche to deck yourself out in house colors years after. But I figure something like this is tasteful – nothing like the Gryffindor alums do.”

“They’re that absolute worst.” Her eye fell back on the cloaks towards the back. There was the one she’d fancied, but on an ordinary rack rather than an absurd walking display. She pointed it out to Hotaru. “I think we’ll browse for a while and see everything – thanks so much for your help.”

“Any-time,” the young woman said as she waved them onwards into the shop.

“She was annoying,” Hotaru whispered once they’d walked several aisles away from the checkout counter.

“And far too chatty,” Michiru sighed. “See anything you like?”

Twilfitts certainly did have more high-end items to display than Malkins shop. By the time they had wandered over to the hats she’d already picked out quite a few items to spice up the awful looking school uniforms. It had been a shock with the first one she touched floated up off its hook and onto a rack that had begun to follow she and Hotaru around the shop of its own accord. But she’d quickly got used to the convenience as she easily compared two of the emerald coloured cloaks side by side. “I could just get both,” she comments to Hotaru.

“Mmmm…I like the one on the left better.”

“Then I’ll get this one and find a smaller one for you – ah!” She jumped and grinned as the desired cloak soared off its rack two aisles away and landed in her hand. “Then we’ll match at school.”

“That may not be wise,” another shopper commented as she flicked her wand and poofed a set of dress robes onto her own shopping rack. “Oh I’m sorry – I couldn’t help but overhear her say she’s a first year – so you don’t know what house she’ll be in yet.”

“No…but it’s still fun to match Ma…Michiru,” Hotaru caught herself. “My cousin.”

“Oh of course it’s fun for such close cousins to try to match,” the woman agreed. She was quite tall, and looked even more so in her dark, slim robes. Their black color matched her hair exactly save for the streaks of grey that ran through the elegantly coiffed locks. “I just mean since that green there is a house color. You might not end up in your cousin’s house.”

“It’s just a color,” Hotaru shrugged, stepping up on her tiptoes to reach a purple hat that had caught her eye.

“Oh that may be true if it were Ravenclaw’s or Hufflepuff’s,” the woman said. “But – and this is simply friendly advice for you both since you’re new to Hogwarts: Slytherins are quite proud – and they don’t like interlopers just appropriating their signature color left-and-right.”

“Well that’s no way to make friends,” Hotaru said.

“How did you know we were new to the school,” Michiru interrupted in a casual voice. She stepped slightly to the side in order to reach a sleek hat on the opposite shelf, placing herself in front of Hotaru in the process.

“Oh easily,” the woman sniffed. “My husband’s on the board of Governors. And it’s been the talk of the summer: Transfer students at Hogwarts. It’s quite unusual.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Michiru offered diplomatically. “I believe our Student Advisor organized most of it, I simply thought it was a good opportunity to experience another culture.”

“Oh of course. Well Britain, I would say, is one of the best choices to experience. You know we have a rich history: founding member of the International Wizarding Council.” She raised her chin even higher if that was possible.

 _Her nose might bump the ceiling if she points it any more,_ Michiru thought.

“But where are my manners. I should introduce myself.” And she tucked her wand into the sleeve of her robe and extended a hand. “Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy.”

“Kaioh Michiru,”

Mama Michi’s posture relaxed, Hotaru noted, but her hand did not stray far from the location of her henshin wand. Hotaru frowned. Sure this Malfoy lady seemed nosey and unpleasant, but Mama Michi was not usually so paranoid.

Then she spotted Narcissa raising her wand again, casually moving clothes between their hook and her shopping rack, even going so far as to change their colors. _And the magic makes Mama_ nervous, Hotaru realized.

“You know,” Narcissa continued, looking down her very high nose at Michiru as she carried on selecting clothes. “I’ve heard quite a lot about Japan. They value tradition greatly.”

“I suppose,” Michiru thought. “Less so in Tokyo, it’s such a big place.”

“Oh but surely even there you’ve developed ways to exclude muggle influences.”

Michiru and Hotaru traded glances as one unfamiliar word lingered in the otherwise understood sentence. _Perhaps this charm doesn’t do so well with slang._ “I’m sorry,” Michiru shook her head. “I’m not quite familiar with all the English terminology yet…muggle?”

“Oh yes, excuse me. Of course you’d have a different word for it. That's our word for those non-magical wretches. Here it’s quite the chore to keep them from traipsing across Wizarding lands. I imagine it’s even harder for you too keep them at a distance in Tokyo – so crowded.”

“Why would we,” Hotaru started to say, but Michiru gestured for her to hush. _When you’re not sure of a person_ , Hotaru recalled her advising, _you keep your opinions to yourself – you learn more about them that way._

“Well Japan, may have a different relationship to its…muggle society,” Michiru considered diplomatically.

“Hmm perhaps. And you and your fellow transfers, they’re all from old families, I’d imagine only Mahoutokoro’s elite would have been offered this opportunity.”

“I was top of my class at my old school.” Michiru said

“Oh excellent – you may end up in Ravenclaw yourself then. They’re not so bad. But some of them are so naive. I’ve had so many, many friends have to pick up their Ravenclaws from the train and spend their whole break arguing with them about those ridiculous ideas those mud-muggleborns put in their heads.” Narcissa sighed. “Thank goodness my Draco ended up in Slytherin. None of _those_ types in there, I wonder: how does Mahoutokoro deal with the nuisance of muggles' so-called “magical” children?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Michiru said casually. “I didn’t go to Mahoutokoro.”

Hotaru watched as the Malfoy lady’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and caught the look in Michiru’s eyes. It promised mischief.

“Oh really – Japan has another magical school?”

“Couldn’t tell you. You see my old school was Mugen Academy – a muggle school, as you might call it.”

“But…but you’re magical,” Narcissa sputtered.

“I am. I was also president of my student Orchestra.”

“You’re…muggleborn.”

“All of us are. And this will be the first magical school we’ve ever attended. I dare say, I hope Hogwarts impresses me more than you have with your bigotry.”

“You have some nerve, girly.”

“I pity that son of yours, Mrs. Malfoy,” Michiru said as she turned and pushed Hotaru towards the check out counter. “Muggles could teach you quite a few things. Certainly,” she shot her best judgemental look at Narcissa. “About fashion sense.”

And she whirled round, steering Hotaru by the shoulders. She paid for their clothes without another word and whisked them out of the shop with the Malfoy lady still staring after them.

When the door of the shop swung shut behind them Michiru huffed. “I’m sorry I rushed us out of there, Hotaru. I shouldn’t have caused that kind of scene.”

“Okaayy,” Hotaru said, adjusting her new purple witch’s cap on her head. “But, just so you know: you were super cool.” She proceeded to spin around as Michiru laughed, twirling on one foot to show off her hat under the bright, summer sky.

So absorbed were the two of them in adjusting their shopping bags and finding the next shop to hit, that they weren’t looking back into Twilfitts as they passed the open window. They did not see the seething Lady Malfoy give her wand a subtle wave as she sends a Confundus charm shooting out the shop’s open window. It hit Michiru dead-on and glanced partially across Hotaru.

Ordinary passers-by saw nothing out of the ordinary – just two Hogwarts age students stumbling on the sidewalk as though they had momentarily misplaced their feet on the uneven surface. Witnesses shook their heads but thought nothing more about it as the two girls continued to meander down Diagon, hugging the edge of the alley and eventually wandering into a darker side street.

They’d wandered several dozen yards off the high street before the Confundus charm wore off. Michiru cursed upon coming to her senses – a string of expletives flying from her mouth.

“Where are we,” she murmured to Hotaru, as she turned around seeking a street sign. “This isn’t the High Street.”

“It isn’t even on the map,” Hotaru whispered, showing her the paper, which only has “Diagon” and part of “Horizont” on it.

Michiru’s eyes caught those of several curious onlookers lurking under the awning of a nearby shop. She put her arm around Hotaru’s shoulder. “Put that away,” she said. “Let’s not stand out anymore than we already do.” She glanced around. The alley ahead continued to be narrow with several winding, offshoots. “We’ll turn around at that shop there,” she said pointing too a run-down old bookshop. “And head back that way. I think we’ll end up on the main road.”

“There’s wrong things here,” Hotaru murmured, eyes drifting over the many storefronts that set her senshi-senses on the alert.

“Indeed,” Michiru’s arm tightened around Hotaru’s shoulder. “Come on,” she said, turning towards the door of the bookshop.

“No wait,” Hotaru stopped short in the middle of the alley and shook her head. Her hand, Michiru noted, had drawn her henshin wand and was holding it close. “We should investigate.”

Michiru bit her lip, considering. They hated dragging Hotaru into danger, but…

 _But she’s Sailor Saturn_ , the part of her that was Sailor Neptune reminded her. Hotaru might have been a little girl, but after countless battles, Michiru understood her unique abilities for what they were: a valuable asset.

“Stay close to me then,” she instructed Hotaru in a whisper as they both continued deeper into the unknown alley. She glanced all around as they continued on, searching for a street sign…anything. As they walked, Michiru twisted the communicator on her wrist and tapped one of the buttons with her thumb. “Ami, I need you to track our location, we might need back up.”

They ventured further – past shops with black curtains drawn across the windows, a barber with hard-eyed clientele, and past Wix walking up and down the narrow street in mostly dark robes – all with their wands visible.

“No one’s responded,” Hotaru worried after a while. Michiru lifted up her communicator again and swore – the screen showed only static.

“Magic must be interfering with it,” Michiru took a deep breath and looked all around – no obvious means of escape. _And Mercury won’t be able to track us without her tech_ , she thought.

Hotaru stepped a bit closer to her as they walked. “That shop there’s full of…I don’t know what. But my powers don’t like it,” she said, pointing to a dimly lit shop nearby.

Hotaru didn’t know the word on the sign. Michiru did: _Necromancy._ Of course Sailor Saturn would be appalled.

She pulled Hotaru closer and her eye caught a small bronze sign just next to the door of the Necromancy shop: _61 Knockturn Alley._ She held the image of it in her mind and sought out the only other Sailor with a psychic presence strong enough to receive the message.

 _Come now!_ She thought as her mind briefly touched that of the fire senshi’s.

~ _SMH_ ~

 _Portkeys,_ Setsuna decided almost as soon as it had warped her out of physical space by the navel, had some nerve. Though the note had requested that she merely keep hold of the parchment should she wish to meet the headmaster she still resisted anything that sought to dictate where and when she should be anywhere. She’d transformed while the Portkey was still dragging her through warped space and promptly dropped it, summoning the Time Doors to pick her up. Once she’d got her bearings, and added Portkeys to the list of infernal devises polluting Wizarding time and space, she’d set her own course for Hogwarts and spent an indeterminate amount of time reviewing all she’d learned recently about Wix magic.

Too little, in her objective opinion. But at least her ability to successfully break away from the portkey without getting lost in warp space suggested their powers would still have some influence here.

The Time Doors, Setsuna was displeased to discover, refused to breach Hogwarts grounds. She stepped out of them and de-transformed, intending to arrive at the front doors of the school, only to be met with a lone stone post along a wide, but empty highland road. On it was a Latin phrase and a plane declaration of the boundary of Hogwarts grounds. “Interesting,” she murmured. Though it was decidedly not. She had known Wix were quite capable users of magic, but that they could stop even the Time Doors was unsettling. And she would be outside their world entirely while her friends and family remained inside – wholly unable to see what dangers lay in their path.

She was forced to walk the remainder of the way, and her hand automatically sought the comfort of her henshin wand. It wouldn’t do to reveal their true nature so quickly. _But then again_ , she reasoned as she walked around the edge of a murky lake and spotted a rather large tentacle darting above the surface, _it never does hurt to be careful_.

The lake was long and twined around a hill, which was covered in trees. So it was only once she had crested the top that she got her first glimpse of the castle. She gasped.

It was an entirely different style from Crystal Tokyo’s palace and (she couldn’t help but think as she took in the many towers, turrets, and high windows) it was even more stunning.

 _To think we use magic so often to destroy,_ she thought as she stared, her view clear against the grey backdrop of the highland clouds. _Yet they use it to craft works of art like this._

The innovator in her, the one who’d awakened upon her rebirth on Earth and her exposure to the beauty and practicality of design, sighed in envy. _I wish I could to learn to use magic like that_.

Even as enraptured by the architecture as she was, and with due regard to her enhanced senshi awareness, her welcoming party was decidedly easy to spot. He stood out starkly against the grey castle stones and cloudy sky, and was a bright contrast to the dark lake and forest in the background.

 _He’s quite flamboyant,_ she observed, eyes drawn to the wide-brimmed Wix hat that shimmered every color of the rainbow and the purple robes with accents of silver actively pin-wheeling across the fabric. _I dearly hope those choices are on purpose and not this society’s unfortunate sense of fashion_. So garish was the outfit that she had trouble tearing her eyes away to take in the man’s face. “Headmaster Dumbledore, I presume.” she said, extending her right hand.

“Indeed I am.” His smile was warm and emphasised the many laugh lines across his face. He shook her hand, then surprised her entirely with a customary bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Meioh-san, or is it professor as well?”

“Doctor,” she corrected. She did, after all, have an Astrophysics degree lying around somewhere in her mortal paper-identity. “But my students simply refer to me as Meioh-san.”

“Quite informal, though I suppose their schooling structure is as well,” Dumbledore’s cornflower blue eyes twinkled. “Which is the subject I hoped to speak with you about today,” He said, gesturing to let her first up the castle’s main steps. “If you wouldn’t mind following me up to my office, we could chat, perhaps over a cup of tea or lemon drop.”

~ _SMH_ ~

_“Come now!”_

Rei jumped as the mental order startled her, dropping the book she’d been perusing.

“Careful!” The snotty older man sitting at the front of the fortune telling shop huffed. “Honestly, you mundanes…no respect.”

“Nothing much to respect,” Rei muttered. Hastily, she grabbed a more interesting book off the shelf of old Celtic practices and walked to the front of the shop, shoving it towards the old shopkeeper. “How much?”

“Seven galleons,” he said, stretching his hand out and beckoning with it.

She winced as she calculated the amount in Yen. Thank goodness Setsuna had said the bills were on her.

 _“Be there soon_ ,” she thought to Michiru.

Knockturn Alley…she spotted a small sign pointing her down towards the bank but stopped, gazing down the winding road that was Horizont Alley. She took off towards it, following her gut. _I hope they don’t find trouble_.

~ _SMH_ ~

Usagi had meant to see more of the Alley, but really? Where was the need to? She could see straight from the Leaky Cauldron all the way to the fountain from her spot anyways.

“The Butterbeer sundae,” the merry old Florean announced as he deposited menu item number 14 in front of Usagi. She cheered, thanked him profusely, and dug her spoon into the latest treat. Wix _definitely_ had the best ice cream.

“Usagi!” Minako’s voice shouted as she ran up to the ice cream parlour’s outdoor seating dragging Ami behind her and brandishing…a broomstick.

Mina skidded to a halt in front of her and twirled the broom between her hands. “Check it out!” The deep red handle was smoothly carved and polished, the gleaming carving along the top read _Firebolt_ in golden script.

“Does it really fly,” Usagi wondered.

“Uhuh – I saw pictures in the shop!” Minako exclaimed. “They claim it’ll go 150 miles per hour.”

“Do you even realize how fast that actually is,” Ami cautioned. “You won’t be able to control it.”

“Pssha,” Mina waved her hand dismissively. “It has safety charms on it – relax Ami-chan.”

“Have an ice-cream,” Usagi added, pushing the very long menu towards them. Minako plopped down into the seat beside her and stole it away first, scanning it with eager eyes.  
            “You picked a great spot for lunch,” Ami commented “Do they sell anything besides Ice cream though?”

“Nope!” Usagi grinned, stuffing the first delicious spoonful of her sundae into her mouth.

“Come on Ami!” Minako elbowed her. “Look, this one’s called _Dragon’s Dream –_ live a little.”

“Maybe just this once,” Ami said as she peered at the picture of the treat.

~ _SMH_ ~

“Haruka!” Makoto called as she spotted the older girl slipping out of a nearby shop examining the broomstick in her hand closely. The other girl jerked her head up and nodded as Makoto approached.

“Is that all the potions supplies?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at the small box tucked neatly under Makoto’s arm.

“Oh yeah – they can shrink them _and_ lighten them. It was so convenient. Does that thing really fly?”

“It’s supposed to,” Haruka said. “How, I’ve no idea; it didn’t come with instructions.” She checked it over again, muttering: “how does it stop and go?”

“Maybe you just use…magic.” Makoto grinned and Haruka glared at her.

Suddenly a bright red flash caught her attention and she and Haruka looked over towards the source – deep within the bowels of the Wizarding shops, possibly off a side street.

“That looked like Mars,” Haruka muttered, pulling her henshin wand from her pocket. Makoto already had hers drawn.

“There’s an alcove between those shops there,” Makoto said, and the two of them dove into it, off the visibility of the high street. They raised their henshin wands in tandem, and Uranus and Jupiter transformed within the second. They nodded, jumping up onto the roof of the closest building and running at the same speed along the top, eyes trained on the flames that were even clearer from this high up.

They ran along the roofs of Horizont Alley, feet clacking on the mostly brick structures. They caught the attention of a few shoppers whose hearing was particularly good, and several Wix who lurked between the buildings saw them as they leapt between the rooftops. But the Wix, for the most part, shook their heads, many muttering about high-spirited Hogwarts students getting into mischief.

They reached the intersection of Horizont and yet another street and were deciding which way to go when another red flare caught their attention.

“Mars Flame Sniper!” they raced towards the voice, jumping across uneven roofs until the light of the flames was bright from the street below them. Jupiter and Uranus stepped up to the edge of the rooftop, preparing for a startling entrance.

Just as they looked over the top though, a firebird shot up the side of the building causing Makoto to fall back and leaving Uranus hair and bows singed.

"Sorry!" they heard Mars shout. And they ducked as the bird swooped towards them again.

The firebird then flew up into the air, and Uranus and Jupiter leaped over the side of the building before it decided to return. Uranus landed with the Space Sword drawn and took in every detail of the narrow street. There were Michiru and Hotaru’s henshin wands at Jupiter’s feet, as well as a wizard: knocked out, his face and robes burnt. Michiru and Hotaru stepped away from one of the shop-fronts and knelt to pick up their henshin wands as Jupiter checked the wizard’s pulse.

"He'll live," she announced.

"Pity," Michiru tutted.

“You alright?” Uranus asked, pulling Michiru and Hotaru close "What happened?"

"We were followed,” Michiru said. “Right after we came out of investigating this antique shop and refusing to sell the owner the aqua mirror – honestly the nerve of him. We were cornered by this idiot demanding to see our wands and saying Muggles weren’t allowed in the alley.”

"He started firing spells," Hotaru added. "Mama was blocking them off the mirror, but when we went to transform, the henshin wands just flew out of our hands.”  
"Another spell,” Michiru filled in.

"Why is this place even here?" Uranus commented about the many darkened buildings...skulls and advertisements for blood and curses decorating the windows. She ducked as the firebird swooped in low again and grimaced as it caught her hair on fire. She put out the flame with her fingers. "You gonna put that thing out, Mars?"

"Can’t!" Mars shook her head. She had one eye watching down the dark street. "For some reason, it’s out of my control… Not sure it matters at this point though – I hear more coming this way."

"More like him you mean," Jupiter frowned as she spotted something peaking out of the man's sleeve... a tattoo of a snake curled through a skull. It moved as she touched it. "Strange.”

"We need to get out of here in any case – I’m not keen to attract attention." Michiru brandished her henshin wand "Neptune Eternal Make-Up!" Blue and turquoise light wrapped around her, fading into her senshi uniform. She directed her gaze at the wild firebird who was now in the process of lighting the roofs across the alley on fire "Deep Submerge!" she shouted. A precise blast consumed the creature. The seawater crashed over it and left a trail of smoke in its wake.

"Thanks," Mars said. "Come on, before we've a real fight on our hands."

"I'll cover our exit," Uranus said. "World Shaking!" she sent her attack racing over the street, tearing up cobblestones. It left a four-foot high pile of them between them and the approaching Wix – and most importantly kicked up a cloud of dust. She nodded to the others as they all turned to make their way out of the alley.

Neptune paused at their knocked out assailant and spied his wand still in his left hand. She stepped on it with the heel of her boot until it snapped, silver sparks flying everywhere. "Anyways," she said. "I say we stop for lunch and then move on to wands. I've had quite enough exploring for one morning.”

~ _SMH_ ~

“Lemon Drop?” The Headmaster offered as he took the seat across from her at his desk.

“No thank you.” Setsuna said, jumping as two full teacups materialized on the desk before her. Dumbledore picked up his and raised it towards her. “Apologies, by the way, for the abrupt scheduling of this. I’ve had a few pressing school matters to tie up of late.”

“It’s not a problem,” Setsuna dismissed. “But what did you want to discuss?”

“Well, for starters,” The Headmaster said, waving his wand. A piece of paper appeared in the air, drifting down towards the desk. She bristled as she recognized the note that had been delivered to her that morning. “I am most curious how this was activated and sent to my office without bringing you along – and imagine my surprise when I learn you materialized at the entrance to the grounds.”

“Forgive me – I find Portkey travel disagrees with me.” Setsuna said.

Dumbledore nodded and sipped his tea. “And yet, you did not appear through apparition. In fact I’ve never heard of anyone using a set of magical doors for travel such as that. Vanishing Cabinets, yes but even those cannot appear and disappear anywhere on a whim.” His eyes fell to the pocket of her blazer where her henshin wand had been concealed; she set down her tea and folded her clammy hands neatly in her lap. _But I didn’t see anyone around_!

“I wasn’t spying. Fear not.” and he made a gesture with his hand, turning towards the open door of an adjourning room. “My friend was just very curious about you.”

She was expecting a person, but the melodic sound that echoes from the other room was far from human in nature. She gasped as something bright orange and yellow soared through the doorway, flapping heavy wings and landed elegantly on Dumbledore’s arm. Setsuna stared at the bits of ash that settled on the desk as the clearly mythological creature fluffed its wings. She reached out unconsciously towards the magnificent bird, and it trained burning red eyes towards her.

The phoenix regarded her hand with curiosity before leaning in and taking her finger gently between its powerful beak. It was hot! Seemingly satisfied, the phoenix chimed again, releasing her finger and nuzzling its hot, feathered head against her hand. As it chimed she gasped - A clear image of the future was forming within her mind for the first time since arriving in London.

_The bird’s song within the vision was emotional and heavy, drawing on the emotions of all those present at the gathering. Her Sight rushed over the massive crowd of people over to the edge of the forest where Usagi turned to her with a startled look on her face, long, blond pigtails whipping in the slight wind._

_“I know who he is.” She said, eyes wide, pointing somewhere beyond her. “That’s – That’s Mamo-chan!”_

_Setsuna whipped around but this part of the future was still blurred, and there were many faces in the crowd beyond her – too many to narrow down which stranger Usagi might have been pointing out._

The vision occurred in the space of a blink. By the time she opened her eyes again the phoenix had moved on from nuzzling her hand to pecking at Dumbledore’s. The Headmaster smiled warmly at the bird and offered it a lemon drop – which it gulped down eagerly, belching up a small plume of ash a few seconds later.

“His name is Fawkes,” The Headmaster said. “He was the one who informed me of how you arrived.”

She nodded, eyes still trained on the bird. She did not know what they meant to Wix lore but Phoenixes were extraordinarily pure creatures – the rare glimpses of them she got when they streaked through the Time Dimension were a sight to behold. To bond with one required…being an exceptional individual at the very least.

Perhaps she had misjudged this Dumbledore character.

“Now,” the Headmaster continued as Fawkes squawked and settled in on his left shoulder. “Tis good to know Fawkes trusts you – he is a consistently good judge of character, but I am still curious about the students you bring to Hogwarts. Mahoutokoro claims they have never been enrolled there.”

Her mind was still buzzing from the first clear glimpse of the future she’d ever gotten among the Wix. Setsuna sipped her tea again and thought. This Dumbledore appeared perceptive and was also clearly of good character. That did not mean she could trust him with everything, but clearly a little trust would be needed to ensure their smooth transition at the school.

“Truly, they have never studied this kind of formal magic,” she told him, editing out many of the details. “And we do not mean to impede upon the running of your school. They have enrolled because they are looking for someone like us.” She said. “But someone who appears to be one of your Wix.”

“Is said person dangerous?”

“No.” Setsuna assured him. “Not at all, but they will be difficult to find.” She spoke as much to the Phoenix as the man, hoping it would judge her story good enough.

Fawkes cocked his head to the side as his red eyes stared intently at her. Finally, he ruffled his feathers and opened his beak, setting off a new string of melodious sounds. She saw Dumbledore smile and relaxed. If the Phoenix trusted her, perhaps the headmaster wouldn’t press for more details.

“So they lived largely amongst Muggles before now then?” Dumbledore asked and she frowned at the unfamiliar word. “The non-magical.” He supplied.

“They did,”

“And you did as well – pardon me, it is just rare to meet a magical individual who spends the majority of their time in the muggle world. Most wizards here never see beyond Diagon Alley.”

“It does make our perspective of magic a bit different than most,” Setsuna agreed.

Dumbledore set down his tea and clasped his hands to prop up his chin, eyes twinkling as brightly as the silver swirls across his robes. He leaned forward, smiling. “Fascinating. Then I hope you won’t mind sharing a bit about that perspective.” He said. “I have always wondered – how on Earth did they send an aeroplane to the moon?”

~ _SMH_ ~

By the time Setsuna’s meeting with the Headmaster meandered to a close she was already late to the meeting with Ollivander. She permitted the Headmaster to charm another of the dastardly portkeys before abandoning it mid-journey again and using her Time Doors to navigate her safely back an hour of time. She stepped out between two shops and startled a nearby street vender so badly that they lost control of their slow-cooking charm, sending a shower of hot chestnuts exploding across Diagon. Setsuna paid it no mind and continued on to Ollivander’s wand shop, where several of her friends were already waiting. She grinned at the youngest girl, showing off her child-sized, purple Wix cap to the others. And raised an eyebrow at the singe marks in Haruka’s hair and the soot that seems to have splattered across the Aqua mirror Michiru was trying to clean. _I hope they didn’t get into trouble_ , she thought as she joined them. All they were missing were Minako, Usagi and Ami. _I hope she’s not lost in a bookstore_. Setsuna thought.

“Mama!” Hotaru cheered and hugged her as she approached them. “Papa got a flying broom!”

“Did she now,” Setsuna mused, spotting the red broomstick by Haruka’s side. She pointed up to her hair. “Was there a fire.”  
            “In a manner of speaking,” Haruka said glaring at Rei who sniffed.

“It appears some attacks function slightly differently here.” Rei huffed. “I got the enemy, didn’t I?”

“Enemy?” Setsuna frowned.

“Just a wizard,” Michiru dismissed, gesturing to the half-polished mirror. “Had to block a few spells with this – but it was fine.”

“How did your meeting go?” Makoto asked.

Setsuna considered. “The Headmaster is a unique man. I must say I anticipated some of what we discussed, but he did surprise me quite a bit.”

“What did he say?” Hotaru asked.

She smirked. “You’ll find out when school starts. How’s that.”

Haruka rolled her eyes. “There you go being cryptic again – I bet half the time you _could_ tell us and you’re just having fun.”

In answer Setsuna simply laughed. “I guess you’ll always wonder which one it is.” She looks around down the Alley with the others. “Have any of you seen them?” The others could only shake their heads, and they all shifted from foot to foot as they stared impatiently down Diagon.

At last, she spots Usagi’s signature blond odangos and Minako’s flowing blond mane of hair whipping behind them as they sprint down the middle of the street, Ami was following within steps of them.

“Sorry!” Minako cried out after the three of them skidded to a halt in front of the group. “We got held up on the way – there was this joke shop – no, wait. I’ll tell you later.” Minako grinned when she noticed Haruka holding the same model _Firebolt_ as her own. “We are so gonna race!” She decided before directing her ever-present enthusiasm towards the final stop on their school-shopping venture. “So…this is the wand shop.” She pressed her face up to the dusty window. “Is it even open?”

“The sign says so,” Usagi stated, and bounced up to the front door. She pushed it open and surveyed the inside. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s here.”

“They might surprise you,” Michiru warned.

Tentatively, Usagi stuck her face through the door and called out. “Eeeeh, Hello?” She paused in the doorway and was just about to duck her head back out when Makoto gave her a nudge, pushing her all the way into the shop. Despite her screech, the shop remained empty. And Usagi huffed _. Don’t shopkeepers usually_ want _to sell you things?_ “Helloooo-ooooh!”

“No need to shout _._ ”

And where Usagi had thought there was just a wall of narrow boxes before, there was now an old, slim man who had appeared seemingly from nowhere. He gazed at them over the narrow glasses perched on his nose as the nine senshi all pushed their way into the shop.                                                

“My, oh my,” The old man murmured as he appraised them. “This is most interesting, I say, do you all need – ” He was cut off suddenly by a rattling from the other room, then a subsequent bang. “Oh pay no mind to that – just one of the new wands testing its limits so to speak, now is it true – all nine of you. Delightful!” And he flicked his wand, summoning a tape measure out of his desk drawer. “Why this – ” another bang echoed out of the adjoining room. Mr. Ollivander just smiled merrily. “Very interesting,” he decided.

 _He’s weird_ , Haruka decided, eyes flicking between the strange geezer and the point on the wall where the banging was originating. The boxes on that shelf were rattling.

“Well, don’t all just stand there,” Ollivander beckoned. “Someone step up. You – ” and he pointed a wizened, spindly finger at Makoto as he looked up over the top of his glasses.

Makoto stepped forwards, eyes flicking all over the packed storefront before the banging from the other room draws her attention to the opposite wall. _Does it sound like_ …she closes her eyes to focus. _It does!_ “Is there a storm behind that door?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Ollivander dismissed. “Wands creating storms – no that one is an experiment of mine. Livelier than most…although.” And as he pondered the thunderous sound echoed through the wall again. This time it knocks quite a few wand boxes onto the floor. “It hasn’t been quite this active in…yes it’s entirely possible.” And he set his tape measure aside and raised his wand. “I suggest you raise your wand arm?”

“My…?”

“Your dominant hand,” Ami whispered from behind her. Another thunderous bang echoed from the next room.

Makoto had barely raised her hand when Ollivander flicked he flicked his wand. The wall blocking the sound swung open at once, slamming into another shelf as a gust of wind forced it all the way open. A small object rushed through the air, trailing sparks behind it, and landed in Makoto’s outstretched hand with an even louder thunderclap that shook every loose object in the shop. Usagi and Hotaru covered their ears. Makoto stared as she curled her fingers around the wand. Lightning fizzled out of the wand tip and wrapped around her hand, shooting up her arm and sending static sparking through her hair.

“Curious,” Ollivander said. “Why, I hadn’t even intended to sell that to anyone, it was more an experiment than anything. My grandfather kept that wand core as a collectable for a number of years but it was only this year I thought to experiment with fitting it with a wand.

“What is it,” Makoto wondered, tracing the smooth wood with her fingers.

“Oak 11 and ½ inches with a most unusual core – Dryad hair. They’re powerful creatures, though it’s rare to find one willing to contribute to a wizard’s wand.”

“Dryad hair,” Ami murmured. “What does that do?”

“Oh many things – a natural pair to Oak as it happens. A most unusual entrance though.”

“May I try next?” Ami asked and stepped forwards when Ollivander nodded. “You I will need measurements, I believe.” He said, gesturing for her to step closer to the center of the shop.

The tape measure rose of the desk and flew to Ami, measuring her right hand when she held it out. It also measured her whole arm, her fingernails, and even the distance between her eyes.

Finally it returned to Ollivander and he reviewed the numbers it had given him.

The old man then left the tape measure on the desk and walked without another word into the stacks of wands. They heard him pulling wand after wand off the shelves, working his way through. When he finally returned there were ten boxes strewn across the desk.

“Let’s try this one… Apple and Unicorn hair.” And he walked beckoned for her to walk up to the desk and pointed to the plain box third from the left. Ami reached for it, but her fingers had barely brushed the handle before Ollivander jerked the box away. “No, no. Clearly not. Here – Elm with Phoenix feather…” And they watched as he pointed her towards yet another box. But this one too was taken away when it was picked up and promptly wrenched itself free of Ami’s grip. “Oh you’re going to be a difficult one.” Ollivander says.

It proved to be true. Ami went through nine of the wands with similar results and with each one Ollivander would shake his hand and mutter – often in wandmakers’ jargon. Ami was reaching for the tenth and final wand on the desk when Ollivander raised his hand. “Wait here.”

And he left the desk, returning minutes later with a plain, white box. He lifted the lid off it himself and presented it to Ami. “This one I am quite sure.”

Ami reached in and raised the wand in her hand, immediately feeling a sense of calm that had not accompanied the other choices. She gave it a small flick and the other scouts gasped as a thin sheen of ice froze over the top of Ollivander’s desk. Ami grinned. “This one is the right one then?”

“The wand chooses the witch, Ms. Mizuno, I simply provide them with the candidates.” He nods to the wand. “And in this case it seems that Alder and Unicorn hair has chosen you.”

“Oh so they have feelings then?” Haruka muttered to Michiru and Setsuna. “They can’t choose anyone.”

“You think so Ms. Tenoh?” the old wandmaker shot a sharp look towards her and gestured towards the desk. “Here then, go up to the desk. I suspect the wand that will chose you is there already – go on.”

Haruka eyed the old man skeptically but shrugged, strolling up to the ten wands that were still open on the frozen desk top and put a hand under her chin considering. “Do I just pick anyone?”  
“Heavens no – hover your hand over the boxes. That’s it. If your wand is there it will –” but Ollivander doesn’t get a chance to finish as, a second later, Haruka’s hand moves over the box on the far right and the box rattles. The wand inside shakes itself free of it’s wrapping paper and shoots up into Haruka’s hand, accompanied by an updraft of hot, clean air. Haruka gasps, watching as a small twister of wind spins out of the wand tip, blowing quite a few papers around the shop before fading away.

“Interesting…Fir and Dragon heartstring. Quite a powerful wand. Fir is not my preferred wood but in these trying days I’ve had quite an uptick in interested buyers.”

“Why’s that?” Haruka muttered, giving the lightweight wand a couple of waves.

“Well – Fir has a reputation amongst the Aurors and Curse breakers especially – Plenty of their most resilient members have Fir wands. My own ancestor dubbed it the survivor’s wood. It is very curious.” He said, gazing at Haruka with a pale, perceptive eye. “Many infer from this that the wood is lucky but I disagree. Instead, I believe it selects those witches and wizards who not only have a predisposition for throwing themselves into danger, but the will to live through it as well.”

Haruka’s grip tightened around the wand and she averted her eyes from the wandmaker’s, cleared her throat, and stepped away from the desk.

“My turn,” Michiru announced, stepping away from the group and trading places with Haruka.

“Indeed it is,” Ollivander said, tapping his wand against the tape measure as Michiru held out her right hand. She clenched her fist to keep from grabbing the infernal thing out of the air as it wrapped itself around her wrist and moved on to measure the spaces between her fingers.

“I wonder…” Ollivander muttered as he read some of the measurements. He stepped away from Michiru but did not return to the stacks. Instead, he disappeared within the dark room that Makoto’s wand had broken free from and returned a few minutes later, a wand wrapped in crisp brown paper held in both his hands. He peeled the paper back and presented it to Michiru. “Try this one,” he said, peeling the paper back. Michiru reached in after a slight moment of hesitation and withdrew the wand, grinning as she wrapped her hand around it and held it aloft. A jet of sea spray shot out of the top, which resulted in many iridescent water droplets raining down on the shop.

“Another experiment,” Ollivander supplied. “Not so unpredictable as young Ms. Kino’s there – but it is incredibly rare to acquire that core. Most of the merpeople would never part with them purposefully. “

“Merpeople,” Michiru murmured.

“Indeed – Hazel wood with the hair of a Mermaid for the cure. I hope you won’t mind telling me how that wand fares. It has been centuries since a Merperson has relinquished one of their hairs to any wizard. I would relish the opportunity to study the kind of magic it is capable of.”

“Are there anymore wands with cool cores?” Minako asked as she rushed up to the desk as well, bracing both hands on the still-frozen surface. She extended her left arm with a dramatic flourish. “Well, size me up, go on.”

The tape measure was at work at once and Ollivander watched with a calculating gaze. He hummed as the tape made each measurement, eyes flicking around the shop. "Hmmm" Ollivander considered. "Tricky, you're very tricky." and then he left the desk again, still muttering.

"Great yours is going to take as long as Ami's," Usagi grumbled.

"Wand matching is a delicate art," Ollivander's voice filtered through the shelves. "Wands must take as much time as they need." and he emerged from the shelves grinning, laden down with another pile of boxes. He set them down and with a swish of his wand; the top came of the first box. "Try that cypress there."

Mina had no sooner touched it than a plume of smoke engulfed the desk. Ollivander coughed and jerked the box away. "No, no," he grinned. "Try this..."

In the end, Minako went through twenty and nearly snapped the last one in half when it refused to do absolutely anything for her.

"I’ll just go back to Juuban," she muttered.

"Oh no, no. We definitely have it now." Ollivander said. And he reached for a box just behind his desk. He presented her with the open box and directed a merry grin at her. It looked entirely strange on his narrow face. "This will be the one."

Minako hesitated but then squared her shoulders and set her jaw. She reached in with a sure hand and whipped the wand out of the box. It felt warm in her hand. "Do something." she commanded and flicked it at the ceiling.

The air in the shop heated in an instant, as if a warm breeze has rushed through the shelves. It even smelled like the seaside. Orange sparks shot out the end of the wand, forming a heart in the air before disappearing.

"This is it." Minako cheered.

"Indeed it is: blackthorn and dragon heartstring." he mused "very like Fir wands in that they frequently fall into the hands of those who face danger quite often. Some find it to be a rather difficult wood but I disagree. blackthorn wands seek individuals who have grown strong through struggle. The best soldiers were often chosen by Blackthorn.  
Minako gaped at him and then the wand. "I’m not..."

"The wand never lies." Ollivander said sharply. "You’ll be quite happy with that one. It is said that the bond between witch and blackthorn wand is also strengthened by surviving hardship."

The mood in the shop had grown quite contemplative now, everyone wondering exactly what these wands would say about them. Rei's heels echoed in the quiet shop as she approached the desk and placed a hand between Minako's shoulders to encourage her to step aside.

"My..." but Rei stopped suddenly and closed her eyes, putting both hands together as she did when she meditated.

Ollivander stood back and crossed his arms in interest as Minako and the other scouts steppe closer.

Finally Rei opened her eyes and turned towards the stacks of wands and pointed into the third row. "The one at the far end of the shelf." Rei declared.

"Oh this is delightful. Very well, if you're quite sure." and Ollivander clapped his hands and walked briskly over to the stacks, returning a minute later with one already open box. He presented it to Rei. "Yes I think you might be right."

She picked it up and closed her eyes again before waving it once through the air.  
They all gasped as a ring of flames arced out of the wand and spiraled through the air, wrapping all around Rei before fading. The young priestess opened her eyes at last. "What is this one."

"Cherry and phoenix feather." Ollivander said merrily. "A most unusual wood - it is rare for one - known for belonging to exceptional witches and wizards. Interesting that it picked you: the students of Mahoutokoro prize these wands above all others. Traditionally, they are said to choose only the strongest witches and wizards.

Rei nodded and bowed to Ollivander before dragging Mina back away from the desk.

Usagi stepped forwards next. "I want a cherry wand too," she declared.

"Alas, it must pick you." Ollivander said, pulling out the tape measure.

Usagi had trouble standing still through the wand fitting. Her eyes fell on the many discarded ones on the desk. "What about this one," she said, reaching down with her off hand.

"Pine would be a very bad fit for you." Ollivander cautioned.

"Okay...this one." she reached into another box and pulled out the wand as the tape measure snaked around her hand. She waved the new wand. A sharp crack sounded through the air as smoke filled the shop. Usagi coughed as Ollivander ripped the wand away. Rei and Ami smacked their hands over their faces.

"She should have gone first." Makoto decided.

The tape measure finished its measurement about then and Ollivander muttered "quite curious you are." he turned and walked slightly left, grabbing two boxes off their shelves. He set them down in front of Usagi. "Go on then: choose one."

She frowned at the twin boxes and considered before reaching for the one on the left. The moment she touched it they knew they had the right wand.

 

The silver crystal - still in its brooch on a chain around her neck, blazed with bright, white light. As Usagi lifted the wand it too began to glow. She grinned as she waved it, a silver hare formed in the air above it. The spectral animal hopped once all around the shop before landing on Usagi's head and disappearing.

"Oh my." Ollivander murmured "in all the years I’ve sold a wand no one's ever produced a patronus for me on the first go.

"A pater-what?" Usagi frowned.

"Very advanced magic - but then I suspect it is quite natural magic for the wand you hold," he said as he stowed the spare wand away. "Willow and Unicorn hair. It is notably an exceptional pairing for healing magic. Like that crystal you have there."

Usagi's hand immediately sought out the brooch, clenching around it. "How do you know what it is?"

"I didn’t" Ollivander smiled "twas merely a guess. I have always been known as a good guesser." And his eyes sought out the two remaining in their group. "Let’s have...you," he said, pointing to Setsuna.

"But...but she's not coming." Ami frowned but Setsuna stepped forwards anyways, offering her hand. The tape measure zipped all around at a record pace and Ollivander clapped his hands together. "I may have just the thing."

"How do you suppose he picks them?" Makoto asked as he once again vanished between the shelves.

"It’s not random." Michiru confirmed. "Though I'm at a loss for how he's selecting them."

The wandmaker returned with only one box and pulled the top off, turning it so Setsuna could pick the wand out by the handle. "Rowan and Phoenix feather."

She bit her lip as she reached in, but picked the wand up quickly. Suddenly Setsuna stumbled, her free hand clutching her forehead. They all sprung forwards as she swayed, about to collapse.

 _The old headmaster was standing atop the tower, looking at her with serious eyes._ _"I want you to know: this is for the greater go--"_

_But he does not finish. A flash of green light explodes around him and when it fades his eyes are dull and he is limp, falling over the side of the tower. She couldn't move._

"Mama!" Hotaru is shaking her arms and she feels two others at her sides, holding her up.

"This is the one," she confirmed to Ollivander. "Thank you."

"I require no thanks," he said dismissively. "Now lastly..." but his voice trailed off as he took in Hotaru's accusing eyes, still angry from Setsuna's near collapse. The youngest senshi stuck out her left hand.

Ollivander frowned, rubbing his chin, and gestured the tape measure forwards. "Curious." he murmured.

It took the longest of all of them to gather Hotaru's measurements, once even stretching from her toe to far over her head (the height they recognized as that of the Silence Glaive) before finally returning to the desk. Ollivander was shaking his head.

"I know what you require..." he said "And I am sorry, but I do not have it, nor any wand of it's compare. However." he trained his sharp eyes on Hotaru's. "I suspect you already have quite a powerful item which shall serve you well as a wand."

Hotaru hesitated but nodded, stretching out her left hand. They gasped as the silence glaive appeared there. She tapped the handle once against the ground and the blade glowed a soft lavender, sparks spiraling out of the point at the end.

"Fascinating." Ollivander mused. "Yes I’m sure: this shall perform magic for you as well as any wand."

Hotaru frowned at the glaive and dismissed it, letting it disappear once more. She stepped away, and Setsuna's arms came down to wrap around her shoulders.

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander." Setsuna said, reaching into her purse and counting out the appropriate number of Galleons. "We’ll be going now."

"Hogwarts shall have great things in store for you," he said as he waved them from the shop.

"He was creepy." Makoto decided as they left.

"Knew too much," Haruka affirmed.

"I wonder if he's like that with everyone," Ami said. "Now do we need anything else?"

"We need to pick up the robes...and cauldrons along the way." Setsuna said, peeking around at all the shops. "Otherwise we'll be coming back at the end of August - and you can get anything else then."

"We really have to wait a whole month." Minako whined "can't you just..." But Setsuna’s raised eyebrow was enough to silence her. "Yeah, yeah...I know." she said before standing up on her tiptoes and doing her best impression of Setsuna. "Time is a delicate balance."

Haruka snorted as the others devolved into giggles.

Setsuna smiled "I promise," she said as the strolled down the magical high street. "It won't feel like long at all."

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good_ ~


	3. Of Steam Trains and Sorting Hats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> September 1st is here. The gang settles into Hogwarts and our two worlds of Canon characters interact for the first time. ENJOY AND COME BACK NEXT WEEK FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF HOGWARTS CLASSES

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit the ending of this chapter feels a bit rushed to me, mostly cause I am eager to get to classes. I'll let you know if I decide to edit it later on to add more content. (why does Hogwarts have to be so big) XD.

**Of Steam Trains & Sorting Hats**

September first came too soon for the first time in Harry Potter’s memory. He grudgedly pushed his trolley past the barrier with a million thoughts in his head, chief among them that it really wasn’t fair that he’d gotten barely a month of living with Sirius.

“Constant Vigilance,” Moody muttered as he slipped by Harry and the other students into the crowd of parents and relatives. “This is exactly the type of crowd they’d exploit.”

“As if they’d have a clear shot,” Ron whispered. “Think Mad-Eye’s got more suspicions about him than wits.”

“You would too if you’d been locked up in a trunk for a year.” Ginny countered. “I think he’s got a point.”

Ron grunted what might have been a concession, his eyes scanning over the crowd on the look out for anyone they knew. “Hey – who’re they?”

“Who?” Harry asked, moving his eyes away from Snuffles’ shadow weaving through the mess of families and luggage.

“Those girls – blimey they’re new, but they aren’t first years.”

“It’s them!” Hermione gasped, pushing between Ron and Harry to see better. “Gosh I didn’t think they’d be taking the Express! How many are there?”

“You know them?” Ron asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. “You’d all do well to pick up _The Prophet_ once in a while – the paper’s been talking about it for weeks. Those are the new transfer students – first ones at Hogwarts since 1974 unless you count last year’s…event.” Hermione said and she glanced at Harry to see if mention of the fateful Triwizard Tournament had any effect on his mood. But Harry, though his insides had twisted painfully at the reminder of last year, continued staring staunchly over the crowd. He was sick of all of them walking on eggshells around him.

“Do you know what year they’re in?” asked Ginny.

“There’s some in fifth for sure – I heard they’re going to be sorted and everything. It’s very exciting. They’re from Japan!”

“Isn’t that Mahoutokoro, then?” Ron asked “Dad’s mentioned it – says they’ve got way fewer restrictions on adding magic to muggle stuff. It’s supposed to be a really good school.”

Harry stood on his toes to see the transfer girls over the crowd. There were at least eight students. They were a…colourful bunch, he decided, at least judging by their hair. “Do you think that one’s a metamorphagus?” He said, pointing to one girl with turquoise hair.

“Or part Veela,” Ron said and grunted when Hermione elbowed him hard in the ribs.

“It could be a simple color charm,” Hermione said.

“That one there’s definitely gunning for Ravenclaw,” Ginny chuckled, pointing out one girl with bright, short blue hair who was just then boarding the last car of the train.

~ _SMH_ ~

Hogwarts’ nine transfer students and their luggage were a tight fit in the aisle of the last car. In particular, Minako’s largest pink suitcase banged against every other door as she dragged it behind her. The two smaller ones in front had been banging at Rei’s heels until the other girl had lost her patience and started dragging them herself.

“Here we are,” Setsuna announced from the front as she set down Hotaru’s bag. She turned towards the last compartment and raised her rowan wand, moving it through the air in a complicated twist. The scouts gasped, watching through the open door as the compartment before them warped and stretched, the rows doubling in size and the walls pushing further apart – even the window expanded. Setsuna muttered something and flicked her wand at the floor, raising it slowly as if under strain. The others exclaimed in awe as a section of the floor rose up until it formed a small table in the center of the compartment. It was only a block made of the same wood as the floor, but when Ami rushed up to put her hand on it they could see it was as solid as anything.

“The second one is amusingly enough the harder spell,” Setsuna said. “Though I suspect my personal relationship to dimensional space can account for the ease of the expansion charm.”

“That would make sense,” Ami as she walked to the window and slung her one suitcase onto the overhead rack. “I’ve already tried a few spells – I can’t get the fire charms to work at all by my Augumenti is quite powerful.”

“And cold,” Minako added. Then she looked at Artemis who was still lounging on her shoulder. She scratched his ear. “Alright…I don’t think you can follow us any further – unless you and Luna have changed your minds.”

“I wanted to,” he said, then stood up on her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek. “But we’ll need to keep watch for other threats – especially if this wizard magic blinds the rest of you as it does Setsuna.”

“The mirror’s yet to work here,” Michiru confirmed. “It’s quite a relief to have you two keeping watch back home.”

“We’ll keep in touch through mail,” Luna promised, leaping from Usagi’s arms to Setsuna’s. The time senshi smiled and pet Luna on the head.

“I appreciate it too,” Setsuna said. And she held out her other arm to Artemis who leapt up onto her shoulder with ease. “I’ll drop the two of them off in Tokyo.”

“What do you mean?” Haruka worried. She paused from where she’d begun to lift she and Michiru’s bags onto the overhead and frowned at Setsuna “You aren’t staying there with them?”

“Yeah, hold on,” Makoto added. “You’re not spending all your time in the Time Dimension are you?”

“It’s so boring,” Usagi gasped. “Don’t do that!”

Setsuna’s smile widened as she shook her head. “You needn’t worry. I shall be making frequent visits to the time dimension this year, but I won’t be staying there.”

“Then why would you have to drop off Luna and Artemis?” Ami wondered. “You’re staying with them aren’t you?”

But Setsuna shook her head again. “Change of plans.”

“What? You haven’t said anything,” Michiru frowned.

“Sorry,” Setsuna said, looking out the train window onto the crowded platform. “I’m still not used to sharing sometimes…in any case, nothing has gone wrong. I’ve just found a better way to be useful in all this.”

“Is that why you’ve got a wand too?” Hotaru asked.

“You’ll be in the Wix society!” Ami gasped.

Setsuna only smirked and shook her head as the whistle from the train’s engine sounded. “You’ll all find out soon enough.” And with that she lifted her Henshin wand in her free hand and transformed, trading her henshin wand for the Garnet rod. With Luna and Artemis still on her shoulders, Sailor Pluto slammed the butt of the Garnet rod onto the floor and the Time Doors materialized within the compartment. She stepped through, and in an instant the three of them were gone.

The car jerked forwards suddenly, sending most of them stumbling into eachother, as the steam train began to move.

“I hate it when she does that,” Haruka muttered and grabbed the wall for support as the car hit a bump. She lifted her second suitcase off the floor and glanced around the compartment. “Anyone need a hand with their luggage?”

“I do.” Minako said, pushing her largest suitcase through the door with her feet. “How did you only pack one bag?”

“How did you pack three?” Ami exclaimed as Haruka hefted Minako’s bag into the overhead beside hers with a grunt.

“Just essentials,” Minako said with a shrug. And with that she plopped down by the window and looked outside as their car passed the exit of Kings Cross. “After all – Scotland’s cold.”

~ _SMH_ ~

“Don’t understand how that git got Prefect and not Harry,” Ron was complaining as he and Hermione walked down the length of the train. Harry was in a right mood from what they could tell during their brief visit. And though he felt guilty for thinking it, Ron didn’t begrudge Ginny and Neville Harry’s company at all at the moment.

“Well there can only be two prefects in each house per year, Ron.” Hermione pointed out at his side, she peaked into every compartment they passed, eyes out for any treats Fred and George might have passed out on the train. She’d already swiped a canary cream off one unwitting first year.

“But why him – I say Zabini should have got it. And Millicent.”

“Millicent bullies the younger years out of their Hogsmeade treats.” Hermione scowled.

“Fine then – what about that other girl? Greengrass.”

Hermione shrugged at that. “She’d have been alright. I believe Heads of House are the ones that make the nominations though and she’s awful at Potions.”

“Snape picked Malfoy for his potions my arse,” Ron grumbled. And he crossed his arms tighter across his chest as he kept pace with Hermione, raising his nose and the pitch of his voice until it mimicked Malfoy’s tone. “If _my father_ was on the board of Governers I’d be a shoe in for Prefect too – First he gets on his Quidditch team, then the broom, and his O in Potions.”

“I actually think he earned that one, Ron.” Hermione sighed as she pushed open the door to the next compartment.

“Oh Come off it Hermione – you know Snape favours the git.”

“Maybe it should’ve been an E…he has decent marks in most other subjects too.”

“And how do _you_ know Malfoy’s marks?”

Hermione ducked her head, and it caught Ron’s interest immediately. Her ears were red. “Hermione?”

“I may have…caught sight of them when the mid-term marks came out last winter.” Hermione muttered, glancing into the compartments on either side of them as they walked through the car.

Ron snorted and began to laugh. “You spied on his marks.”

“I did no such thing?” She insisted. “They were just sitting there on his desk. I just looked.”

“He sits nowhere near you in _any_ class.” Ron countered.

Hermione’s face was still red as they moved on to the next car – Fred and George had been here if the disasterous state of the hallway were any judge. “They may have…been carried away by a breeze. But…you know…Moody-eh-Crouch did always keep the windows open and I didn’t have anything to do with the draft.”

“Oh admit it you summoned them?”

Hermione looked away from him and ran a hand through her bushy hair. “He has a P in Astronomy.” She said in a rush and Ron let out another howl of laughter as the moved through the car – catching the attention of a few compartments.

“Hermione, you’re amazing.” He chuckled as he pulled open the door to the next car for her. Hermione rolled her eyes even as she smiled at him and moved quickly ahead so he wouldn’t notice the resurgence of her blush.

She stopped short as she entered the next car and stared hard at the second compartment. There were a familiar group of Slytherins – Ron could see Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass through the door. And there was Pansy – lounging on Theodore Nott’s lap – holding her shoulder in such away that the Prefect badge over her chest stood out prominently in the well-lit car. Ron frowned. “Figures she isn’t patrolling. Would’ah thought Malfoy’d stay with her.”

“And I thought he’d find Harry first?” Hermione pondered. “Did he pass us?”

“Nah couldn’t ah.” Ron said, “Blimey – he’s actually gonna do his job.”

“If we’re lucky.” Hermione said, rolling up the sleeves of her robe and pulling her wand from its Auror-style holster. “Come on, Goyle and Crabbe aren’t here they all might be causing trouble.”

“Are you gonna hex the git?” Ron grinned.

“Don’t be ridiculous – I’m not allowed to.” Hermione said.

“Punch him again?”

“ _Ronald._ ” Hermione sighed.

Ron laughed it off and grinned at her. “If you could hex him though…which one.”

Hermione smiled at him. “Well let’s see…I’ve a list.”

~ _SMH_ ~

The senshi had changed into their robes shortly after the train had set off – Ami pointing out that none of them wanted to be rushing as they approached the school. They’d spent the first two hour or so playing cards and chatting but as the Express had travelled on through the second and the third hour, the mood in the compartment had quieted. Hotaru had long since fallen asleep against Michiru’s shoulder and Minako had nodded off shortly afterwards – sprawled gracelessly across both Ami and Rei. The two of them, for their part, spent the slow hours winding through the British country side in a quiet and intense discussion about Magical theory.

The hushed whispers of their conversation had actually lulled Makoto to sleep, with her face pressed up against the train window. The second they hit a particularly old bit of the tracks though she was startled awake – her head banging against the glass. She grunted, raised a hand up to rub her forehead, and glanced around.

The rough ride hadn’t disturbed anyone else – even the sleepers – and, she noted Haruka and Michiru appeared to have nodded off as well. Makoto smirked. No, she’d bet all her plants they were only faking. She doubted even Haruka could hold her henshin wand that tightly while asleep.

She turned back, readjusting her position to try and get back to her nap (or enjoy the scenery) when her eye caught Usagi’s reflection in the window. The other girl was sitting in the seat opposite hers and they’d assumed much earlier that she had simply fallen asleep with her long hair over her face. But her blue eyes, in the reflective window, were wide open. Makoto’s heart twisted as she spied the tears staining Usagi’s cheeks. She leaned forwards and put her hand on the Moon Princess’ knee. “Hey,”

Usagi jumped, sniffed, and tried to smile at her. “Mako-chan” she laughed quietly. “Sorry…I must have dosed off.”

“You were not,” Makoto said, “what’s wrong.”

It was Mamoru (why the hell did fate have to play games like this with the two of them.

Usagi sighed. “I miss him,” she whispered. Makoto noticed Haruka, Ami, and Rei all look up quickly, though they glanced away again before Usagi noticed.

 _Don’t hover_ , they’d all collectively decided. They were having mixed success towards that end, Makoto decided.

“I know… but I bet there’s a reason he’s here right? Wouldn't he love learning magic.” She caught Usagi’s hand as it darted up to wipe her tears and covered it in both her own. And her heart warmed as her friend cracked a real smile.

“He always did love learning new things.”

“He still does,” Makoto insisted.

“Mhmm,” Usagi bit her lip, glancing again out the window. “I thought if I concentrated hard enough I might sense him on the train.” She said, her other hand toying with the Silver Crystal’s locket – on a chain tucked within the neck of her robe. “But I can’t sense anything – I’m so stupid.” She cries.

“Hey stop it,” Makoto scolded, leaning closer to her and squeezing her hands. “all our powers probably act a bit funny here. Remember Rei set Haruka on fire?” That earned a small smile, she pressed on. “Why, I bet I’d cause a full-blown thunderstorm in here.”

“You would not.” Usagi sniffed, her slight smile widened just a tad. “You’re so strong.”

“You are too,” Makoto insisted. “You always are.”

“But I could make the crystal work then – I feel like…” Usagi grew quiet for a few minutes. “Like I did when we were just starting. I couldn’t even throw the tiara then. I’m just as useless now.”

“You haven’t even tried transforming in the Wix world yet,” Makoto insisted. “Remember – they’re even messing with Setsuna and Michiru’s Sight – we’re all gonna have to adjust to how magic’s different here.”

Usagi nodded and rubbed her eyes. She smiled her normal, joyful, smile at Makoto, clearly feeling better. “Thank you. I guess everything is just so new.”

“I’m wearing a pointy hat you bet it’s new.” Makoto laughed.

She’s about to reassure Usagi again – that Hogwarts isn’t a tenth the size of Tokyo and she and Mamoru still found each other there – when their compartment door slams open.

“So, you’re the new students Father’s been on about then,” a platinum blond teenager drawled as he lounged through the open door of the compartment. She spied two much beefier boys at his back – and all three of them with wands casually held in their hands. She stood up in front of Usagi.

“Who are you?”

The blond raised both eyebrows at her, smirking. “Are you protecting your girlfriend there then. I’m not sure how they do it in Japan, but that sorta thing’s a bit frowned upon for purebloods.” He sniffed. “But then, mother tells me you lot aren’t very pureblooded at all.

“You’re being rude,” Makoto glares. “Do your parents tell you everything you’re supposed to think, or do you have anything of your own to say.”

He scowls at her and shugs. “Just thought I’d give out a little advice”

“It isn’t welcome,” Rei said coldly from her seat. Minako stirred in her lap.

“And who says you are,” the boy retorted. “Is it true – none of you have studied an ounce of magic before. I suggest you leave when the train stops. Don’t embarrass yourselves.”

“Hey,” Usagi fumed, standing from her window seat at last. She stomped up to the blond boy and pointed her fist at his nose. “Just because we haven’t gone to some shmancy school doesn’t mean we aren’t magic. I’ll show you.”

“Easy,” Haruka hissed too softly for the intruders to hear. She and Michiru had both cracked an eye open, All of the senshi who were awake jumped when the blond boy began to raise his wand.

Heeding Haruka’s warning, Usagi stepped back from the intruder, still glaring.

The move appeared only to bolster the rude student’s confidence though. He even took a step into the compartment, his two body-guard-like friends still at his back. Makoto itched to throw them over her shoulders but she clenched her fists in an attempt to restrain herself. She’d learned too well that it wasn’t a good idea to make enemies on the first day.

“Why don’t you just leave,” Ami said, glaring at them.

“Oh I will, as soon as I’ve made my point.” He leered at her. “Looks like yours will only get you so far here you mud-bl”

BAM!

The blond was suddenly sprawled out on the floor of the hallway, his body guards rolling over on either side of him like bowling pins.

Makoto flexed her knuckles. It wasn’t good to make enemies on the first day. Then again, there was a reason she’d gotten expelled so many times.

She then watched as the three boys hands and feet suddenly froze to their sides and they shrieked as an invisible force punted them down the hallway of the car. They stumbled to their feet, hopping up and down and falling into each other as they scrambled out into the next car up.

Makoto slammed the door shut and turned around. Ami was casually tucking the alder wand back over her ear.

Makoto was just stepping back towards the window seat when a knock sounded against the just-closed compartment door.

The whole compartment was awake now, Minako shaking her head as she pushed herself upright. “What now?” the senshi of love yawned as Makoto opened the door with a harsh jerk.

It wasn’t the blond or his lackeys. Instead, it was a startled-looking, lanky boy with ginger hair and a rather tall girl with bushy dark hair and bright brown eyes who was holding a hand out to her. “Hello – I’m Hermione Granger, Prefect,” the girl crowed. Everyone close to the compartment door could see the polished red badge on her chest – identical to the blond boy’s green one. “I couldn’t help but notice – I saw a few students rushing out of here”

“Hopping,” the ginger-haired boy laughed.

The girl glared at him. “Ronald, honestly. You’re a Prefect.”

“And he is a git.”

“Anyways, this is Ron Weasley,” Hermione introduced him. “We just wanted to be sure there wasn’t any trouble.”

“Makoto,” she said, accepting Hermione’s handshake and then extending her hand to Ron as well. Ami got up from her own seat as well as she and Usagi came forward to repeat the greeting.

“And there was only a little trouble,” Ami informed the girl. “I’m sorry, I probably wasn’t allowed to use magic on him.”

“Oh no, you’re more than welcome,” Ron grinned

“ _Ron_ ,” Hermione said, despite the smile that tugged at her lips.

“We just wanted him to leave.” Makoto told them.

“Bloody good job someone did on his eye too. Only ever seen one better shiner on ‘im,’” Ron boasted. And they all saw Hermione fail to stifle her grin.

“I just wanted to advise you – technically we’re not allowed to perform magic on other students.”

“Oh come off it, Hermione. You’re not gonna dock them points for that.”

“I am an authority figure Ron. I have to be fair.” She insisted. “Besides no one can dock points from them yet – they don’t have houses.” She beamed at all of them. “I’m sorry we didn’t get here sooner though, we would have intervened.”

“Uhh, don’t worry about it.” Makoto said.

The other girl nodded and straightened her posture as though to strengthen her authority figure persona. “In any case, making you aware of the rules in case you run into him again at school – and I’m sorry Malfoy was your first introduction to our world.”

“Well we’re happy to meet you.” Usagi said, stepping in front of Makoto. “You seem much nicer.”

“Course,” Ron grinned. “We’re not Slytherins.”

“Other houses have nasty people too Ron.”

“Not like Slytherin does.” Ron warned them “The other three are fine but you don’t want to end up there.”

“How do you avoid it,” Ami asked.

“Oh it’s easy you – ” but Hermione couldn’t answer as Ron put a hand over her mouth and exclaimed loudly “You fight a TROLL – Ow.” He jumped back, grinning sheepishly at Hermione and rubbing his hand where she’d bit it. “sorry – but you can’t tell ‘em. It’s a surprise.”

“They’re not first years.”

“I am!” Hotaru pipes up from her seat.

“Tradition still applies,” Ron insisted. “Don’t tell ‘em.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Fine,” and she smiled at the senshi. “Anyways, I hope I get to talk to some of you at school – I’m in Gryffindor, by the way. There’s just so _so_ much I want to know.”

“But we promised Harry we’d check back in,” Ron added.

“Oh and we should check on the first years – make sure they’ve changed into their robes.” Hermione beamed at them as she stepped out of the car. “Anyways, I’ll see you at Hogwarts.”

“Sure,” Usagi grinned and waved after them, Makoto, Ami, and a few of the other scouts giving their own, smaller waves as well.

“They were nice _,_ ” Michiru observed “I wonder what he meant about the troll? For the sorting.”

“Probably a joke or something,” Haruka said. “I was wondering how the whole sorting thing worked though.”

“Ooh!” Ami pondered. “Perhaps it's a test of some kind.”

Minako and Usagi groaned. “I’d rather fight the troll,” they both declared.

Makoto shut the door once again and returned to her seat by the window – staring out at the pin pricks of light that were just now peaking through the fog that blanketed the highlands.

            “I hope there’s more people like her than that other git.” Makoto said as she squinted at the lights, attempting in vain to determine if they were a town or castle. She felt excitement jumping through her and reached up to pull her oak wand from her ponytail. It mirrored her excitement, small bolts of lightning coursed up the sides.

            “I believe there will be,” Usagi declared brightly, back to her cheerful self, it seemed. The others grinned at seeing her excitement return. Nothing cheered Usagi up like making new friends.

~ _SMH_ ~

The rumors about the exchange students, as can be expected on a crowded train of teenage wix, had been spread to the majority of the Hogwarts student population by the time returning students were climbing into the horseless carriages on their way to the feast. Some heard that the newbies could throw people across rooms with just their brains. Others heard they were professionals at muggle-boxing. Still more said they could perform master-grade expansion charms. The entertaining episode of Harry Potter nearly tripping over his own feet in shock as he’d approached the ordinary horseless carriages was nothing compared to the talk going around.

When the doors of the Great Hall swung open every head at every table turned to see if they could spot the students. They were easy to spot, towering over the other first years. And they actual sight of them only spurred more rumors at the house tables. Some said they were mercenaries here to guard the school against Voldemort or dementors. A few Gryffindors wondered if this might be a new Dumbledore approach to cracking the Defense Against the Dark Arts curse. The tallest of them, with her hard-eyes and blond hair, looked imposing enough to be a mercenary. So did the one with turquoise hair, but no, she looked far to refined.  Fred Weasley bet the second tallest could be a mercenary though – look at her wand – it was covered in sparks! And all were totally convinced they were no ordinary students when Roger Davies caught a glimpse of the tiny girl flanked by two taller young women who was casually carrying a glaive. _A glaive_. “What is she Voldemort’s kid?” one Ravenclaw speculated, and Slytherin next door enjoyed that theory so much they plotted to bring the tiniest one into the “inner circle.” One was noted as whispering: “ _wait till my Father hears about this.”_

The transfer students were sharing whispers of their own, which only increased once they had looked around the whole hall and gotten a good look at the staff table. There, sitting next to an empty seat and a man whose robes matched his sleek black hair was…

“What the hell?” Haruka muttered as she and Michiru caught Setsuna’s eyes. The other senshi nodded at them from her spot at the staff table and looked away only for a moment to nod her head towards an old man who could only be the Headmaster – beaming at the crowded hall from his seat in the center of the table, a purple, pin-striped wix crowning his head.

“Is Setsuna a teacher!” Usagi exclaimed. As they all gaped at their fellow Senshi. She certainly looked the part – decked out in elegant, burgundy robes with a genial smile on her face as she sat – a bit stiffly – amongst the other faculty.

“Teacher of _what_?” Minako wondered “Time and…stuff?”

The whispers around the hall immediately silenced then as a tall woman in emerald green entered the hall from the side door. Hogwarts returners gave due respect to their Deputy Headmistress as she strode up to the front of the hall with a stool and the Sorting Hat.  They all leaned forward, paying more attention than any returning class ever had to a group of firsties. Where would the transfers be sorted?

The first name on Professor McGonagall’s lips “Abercrombie, Euan” was decidedly not interesting. No one noticed which house he was sorted into as they continued to look over the transfer students - 8 of them in total - “Hot?” Gred Weasley was heard murmuring to his brother while dodging an elbow from his sister.

“Most definitely,” Forge replied.

“ _Aino, Minako_ ” Mcgonagall’s voice boomed across the restless hall. Everyone shushed each other as the first of the transfer students - a blond with decidedly fashionable school robes and a red bow in her hair - strutted confidently up to the stool and tipped the ugly hat onto her head.

 _Excuse you, I’ll have you know I am the finest bit of magical stitchery this side of the 8th century._ A voice - the hat’s grumbled in Minako’s head. _Now where to put you…_

_Vain, yes quite. No, don’t deny it. It’s only what’s already in your head. You take pride in your looks, in your talents, and in your fighting. Oh, but you’ve every right to be proud, I see. And you’ve such a staunch code of honor, dedication to duty, so much passion and a fair bit of impulsiveness here…_

_Yes, no question._

“ _GRYFFINDOR!”_

The red and gold table whooped, stomping their feet and drumming their hands on the table. Many of the boys pushed and elbowed their neighbors to present open spaces. Minako ignored them all and spotted the red haired witch who’d just slapped what must be her brother upside the head. She slid into one of the empty spots next to her.

“Hi, I’m Mina.” She said, extending a hand.

“Ginny. Ginny Weasley.” The girl shook her hand, smirking at all of the disappointed teenage boys around them. “And – oh, you know Hermione, and”

But Mcgonagall interrupted her with a shout of the next name - a Babbage, Lauren - and their conversation fell silent for a time.

Until they got to H. “ _Hino, Rei_.” And the attention of the Hall was drawn again to the second transfer student - a confident looking teenager with long, black hair.  Her heeled feet clacked on the stone floor as she approached the hat.

_Fire! Oh, that might do it right there. But let’s be sure...yes. Your temper, your passion for justice, your brightness._

_And you’re an intelligent kind of brave, you’ll be quite the asset to most of bumbling -_

_“GRYFFINDOR!”_ The hat boomed again and the red table was struck by rawkus celebration.

As Rei made her way over to Mina, the tall blond transfer student leaned in towards the woman with aqua hair “I sense a pattern.”

“ _Kaioh, Michiru_ ,” Mcgonagall called. The aqua-haired young woman drew all eyes in the hall and Gryffindor was gearing up for another round of celebration when she settled the hat delicately on her head.

 _You’re so suspicious of me already_ , the hat hummed. _I’m no more intrusive than your mirror. Ah… but you’re no saint yourself, I see. Quite a bit of darkness in here...you’ve done quite a lot in the name of duty, family…_

_Oh, don’t threaten! I mean no harm. My, so protective...deceptively so. That makes you quite brave but...beyond that I see the means you’re willing to take for their protection, to secure a win, no matter the cost. You go after your goals with such determination, ready to gain advantage regardless of..._

_“You’re not putting me in Gryffindor are you?”_ she questioned the hat _._

_A beautiful mind like yours, Ha! Don’t insult me._

_“SLYTHERIN!”_

Whispers went up all over the hall as Slytherin clapped loudly with a few scattered cheers. Michiru made her way down to the green table and slid into the first available seat - next to the smirking platinum blond boy. She nodded to them all and glared at the blond until he looked away, then directed her eyes politely back to the sorting.

Keelan, Ida became a Ravenclaw right before “ _Kino, Makoto_.” was called up to be sorted.

_Strength! Such a dominant trait of yours. Oh yes, and stubbornness too. You’re so determined, but…_

_Oh, but this comes from a much different emotion than your friends. Not staunch commitment to duty, nor passionate love, but devotion, a much softer personality. I see care, compassion, loyalty to the end. And there’s grit here, haha. Plenty of it…_

_“HUFFLEPUFF!”_

The Badgers whooped and rivaled the Gryffindors with their excitement. Davies grinned as the tall brunette took the spot he offered her. At the Gryffindor table Rei leaned into Minako. “Told you so.”

Another seven first years were sorted before Mcgonagall calls for “ _Mizuno, Ami._ ” And the shorter, blue haired teenager in her perfectly neat robes rushed up to the stool.

_Ahaha! Delightful! So curious. Yes, I am conscious in a way. No, not fully sentient. I reflect only your knowledge of your purest self._

_And you - oh you already know where you’re going._

_“RAVENCLAW!”_

Moon, Susanna; Mulligan, Mairee; and Murphy, Sean rounded out the M’s and they sat patiently as the gaggle of First Years dwindled down through N, O, P, and all the way down through Tanner, Michael, before Mcgonagall squints at the next name on the list.

“Tenoh, Hair-roo-ka”

The tallest blond - notable for being the only girl in trousers - shook her head as the other exchange students in the hall giggled. “Definitely Gryffindor,” Lee Jordan could be heard whispering as she stood beside the stool and jammed the hat down over her head.

_Ha! Ha! Brave! No question, and loyal to a fault! So Chivalr-_

_“Listen here you scrappy hat_ ,” Haruka thought “ _You put me anywhere but the green table and I’ll give you a taste of the Space Sw-”_

 _“SLYTHERIN!”_ The sorting hat shocked the hall by jumping off of the blond’s head, sending many of the younger students into discussions of whether she was actually a werewolf or some-such thing. The blond paid the whispers no mind, nor the giggling from her friends at the three other tables. She headed straight for Michiru, who looked completely unsurprised. She made room for Haruka on the bench as the blond slid in beside her, wrapping a possessive arm around her waist.

“Ruka, they’re children,” Michiru murmured as the next name was called.

“Most of them -” Ruka said, glaring at two staring boys a few seats down.

“I never complain when anyone stares at you,” she huffs.

“No, you just threaten them later.”

“That was _one_ time…”

Mcgonagall’s shout of “ _Tomoe, Hotaru_ ” put an abrupt halt to their conversation. The two newest Slytherins sat up straighter, and the tall green-haired woman at the staff table leaned forwards as well. All of them stared anxiously towards the small black-haired girl walking with her Glaive up towards the hat.

“Not Slytherin,” Ruka muttered, having seen too many unfriendly faces among this crowd.

“Ravenclaw would be good to her,” Michiru said.

They caught Setsuna’s gaze as the hat fell over Hotaru’s eyes.

_There’s depths to your mind even I cannot fathom. I’ve seen a fair few old souls in my time. Yours is quite a bit older, but you still find so much delight in this world: In what it has to say, and the people who brighten it._

_Life and death aside, there’s always more to see, more to understand._

_Yes, I know where you’ll find your home._

_“RAVENCLAW!”_

The littlest exchange student beamed at the two Slytherins and the green-haired woman. The blond gave her a thumbs-up as she passed them to sit at the blue table. Other Ravenclaws - even purebloods - jumped as the Glaive abruptly vanished. Some scrambled out of Hotaru’s way. But one blond fourth year with interesting earrings stood up from her first seat to sit beside the new girl.

“Hi! I’m Luna!”

“Oh! I have a friend with that name...”

They don’t have much time to socialize though.

 _“Tsukino, You-sagi,”_ Mcgonagall called. The last blond exchange student nodded goodbye to the green-haired woman as she walked up to the stool. The hat sat askew on her head thanks to her curious odangos.

_No - I’m sorry. I have never sorted a Chiba Mamoru - at least not by that name. I was not charmed to see people’s past lives._

_But back to you - you’re so sure you shall find him. I see love and loyalty as with your Makoto, but hard work is...no, nothing, nevermind. Knowledge does not seem to mean much to you, not unless it can help a person you love...You believe so strongly in your cause, your morals, your future. You possess such a passion for it - enough to combat even your gravest fears…_

_“GRYFFINDOR!”_

_“_ Damnit _,”_ Haruka cursed from the Slytherin table as Gryffindor cheers for Usagi. “I thought Hufflepuff for sure…”

“Someday you’ll learn not to bet against the psychic,” Michiru chuckled as she accepted a few coins off of Ruka.

“But Suna said…”

“No, Darling. Suna let you assume.”

The chatter around the hall resumed in earnest as soon as the final first year, “Zeller, Rose,” was sorted into Hufflepuff. Only dying down once Mcgonagall had vanished the stool and hat and returned to her seat between the new professor and Dumbledore, cuing the Headmaster to rise.

“To our newcomers - welcome and Hajimemashite,” said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips. “To our old hands - welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!”

At once the feast appeared on all the tables and the attention of the hall was on stuffing themselves with roast or getting the greedy third year down the way to pass the rolls. Haruka and Michiru carried on a conversation of their own in Japanese, which took quite a bit of concentration while wearing the translation charms. But the ability to listen to the conversations around them was worth it - amazing how many Slytherins seemed to have assumed they couldn’t speak English.

The irritating blond from the train was especially vocal. “My father didn’t hear a word of it - not a single one of the governors must’ve. He’ll rip the old coot a new one for this.”

Meanwhile at the Ravenclaw table, most students were watching their newest member with unabashed curiosity.  So much so that Ami abandoned her original seat to squeeze in next to Hotaru, stern eyes making the more blatant watchers turn away. Luna continued her own conversation with them seemingly oblivious to the scrutiny. She introduced Ami and Hotaru to the unfamiliar English and Scottish dishes with patience and a kind smile. Halfway through the second course she conjured chopsticks for all of them just to practice and got a laugh out of Hotaru due to how poorly she fared with them.

At Hufflepuff, Makoto had eagerly been swept up in the amazing dishes and the amazingly attractive seventh year who’d engaged her in conversation. Her table neighbors, Susan and Hannah, giggled whenever the handsome seventh year, Hamish Stebbins made her blush.

Well into their conversation, he asked: “I say, they do play Quidditch in Japan don’t they?”

“Ah...not really,” Makoto hedged, unsure what this Quidditch was. “What’s it all about then?”

And really that’s all it took to get the whole Hufflepuff table talking.

Gryffindor’s conversation at the next table was about the same.

“We’ll be looking for a couple new players this year.” Ginny told them, waving over a girl named Angelina Johnson. “This here’s our captain. Angie, Mina’s interested in Quidditch.”

“How well do you fly then?”

“Extremely well,” Minako grinned.   
“On a _broom_ …” Rei reminded her.   
“Right, yes, and I mean any sport for me’s easy to learn. I picked up Cricket right quick the last time I was in England.”

“Cricket?” Ginny asked.

“Muggle sport,” Angie said. “Might have you as a backup Beater. We’ll see how well you do at chasing as well…”

The feast, they all felt, was over too soon.

“Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start of term notices,” said Dumbledore. “ First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now too.” (Minako, Rei, and Usagi saw Hermione, Ron, and their friend Harry exchange smirks.)

“Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch’s office door.

“We have had three changes to the staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons”

The hall clapped politely for the teacher, though Usagi and company saw many older students frowning thoughtfully.

“Next, as you may have heard, we have eight exchange students among us tonight from Japan. They’ll be joining classes in the first, fifth, and seventh year. I expect you all to welcome them with the same warmth as you did our guests from Durmstrang and Beaubaton last year. With them is their Staff advisor Professor Meioh, who will be filling in for Charity Babidge and adding a fresh perspective to our Muggle Studies classes.”

Dumbledore had to pause as another round of applause rippled through the student body.

“And we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.”

Another polite, but fairly unenthused murmur of applause circulated through the hall before Dumbledore continued. “Try-outs for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the –”

“ _Hem, hem…”_

~ _SMH_ ~

Umbridge’s interruption of Dumbledore’s speech was all the Hufflepuffs could talk about on the way back to their common room. Makoto found herself nodding along and agreeing quite a bit as the new professor was compared to a seemingly-endless list of old ones. That, and Susan and Hannah’s string of comments trying to explain the conversation to her, left her with very little idea of how exactly they’d arrived at the Hufflepuff common room (though she did take immediate note when someone pointed out the kitchens.) She was quite surprised when the prefects hustled everyone around the hearth and got all the first years sitting in a semi circle around it, backed by all the older members of the house.

“Makoto should get one too!” Hannah decided, pushing Makoto into the crowd of first years.

“One what?” she asked as the Rose and another first year made room for her between them.

“A Big of course!” One of the seventh year prefects declared, and he waved one hand elaborately in the air – the first years gasped (even a couple of the pure-bloods) when he wandlessly summoned a plastic, black ball into his palm.

“I present to thee,” he said, bowing and holding it out to Makoto with a flourish. “Our prized house possession – the Ment-Orb.” He said, and many older students snorted or rolled their eyes.

“It’s just a magic eighth ball,” one first year said.

“It was,” the prefect said, depositing it into Makoto’s hands. “An enterprising Head Boy of ours thought to charm it towards better uses though. Shake it, and it will reveal the name of another member of this house who shall be your mentor, your “Big” for the duration of your time at Hogwarts They show you the kitchens, help you with homework, buy you shit from Hogsmeade, write you letters – and yes, even after they graduate. Badgers all stay close – am I right? The crowded common room hooted and hollered in agreement as the Seventh-year-in-charge gave a fist-bump to a second year seated in one of the armchairs. “I still promise I’ll sent you owls.”

“With chocolate!” the second year declared.

“No question.” The enthusiastic prefect then gestured at Makoto. “Go on then – You might be a fifth year, but everyone deserves the full experience.”

She grinned as she grasped the ball in both hands and gave it a vigorous shake. There was a yellow triangle inside that rippled beneath a shallow layer of water until finally, a name appeared on it.

“Stebbins” she read and the students all around cheered at a deafening volume for the first Big/Little pairing of the year. Then they all laughed when Makoto stood up to shake their Quidditch Captain’s hand – she was taller.

“Well a formal “welcome” then.” Hamish Stebbins grinned and waved his wand, conjuring a scarf that draped around her shoulders. It had the crest with the rampant badger sewn to both ends and was patterned in bright gold and black stripes. Makoto grinned and clasped his hand as the entire house cheered around her.

 _He even looks like my Senpai!_ she thought, laughing as Hannah and Susan dove at her for a round of hugs while the Ment-Orb was passed on to the next eager Little.

 

Not even after two full years at Juuban had she ever felt this accepted by her non-senshi peers. Hogwarts, she decided, could definitely come to feel like a home.

~ _SMH_ ~

Haruka and Michiru’s reception into Slytherin house goes quite a bit differently. They had anticipated a confrontation. But it appeared not all Slytherins were as brash as the boy they’d learned was named Malfoy. Most were content to glance sidelong at them as they made their way to the common room – in the dungeon (the two of them had raised an eyebrow at that).

They trail behind the first years, taking in every aspect of their surroundings before entering the long, stone room. Small groups of Slytherins have all settled around the various fireplaces, a few of them including a first year or two among their ranks.

“It might be a good idea to stick around out here for a while.” Haruka said in Japanese. “If we can.”

“Can _you_ do the invisibility charm yet? Because I can’t” Michiru replied. “But we should mingle – if only to investigate whether attitudes like Malfoy’s are common.”

Haruka shrugged, hands in her pockets, each wrapped around a wand – her Senshi one in her left and the new, yet comforting, fir wand in her right.

“Ms. Kaioh,” she whirled around noticing a seventh year boy with well-styled dark hair approaching her from the dormitory stairs. “I don’t believe we were introduced – Warrington. Maximus Warrington.”

“Pleasure,” Michiru said, accepting his hand and beaming her best socialite smile.

“Oh the pleasure’s mine, I’ve been dying to meet you since we were told there’d be transfer students here.” he continued smoothly, ignoring Haruka’s hard glare as he stared, unabashedly, at Michiru. “I just want to apologize for the behaviour of our newest Prefect on the Express and introduce you to a few friends – they were all curious to meet you. Theo there’s got a father in the Foreign Magical Relations Department.”

As he gestured over towards a group of upper year students, Michiru and Haruka both caught sight of a familiar looking design inked onto his left arm. Michiru looked over at the group of upper years by the fire…all of them wore long-sleeved robes or shirts. She recognized their smiles, for she was wearing one of the same. It was the manufactured smile she’d taught herself early on as the daughter of two socially high-class parents. And the looks trained on her as some of them waved were familiar to her as well, curious and calculating. No doubt wondering if there was any value to be gained from their association.

Well two could play at that game.

“We’d love to join you,” Michiru said, batting her eyelashes at Warrington. He stepped ahead of them as they walked over to the gathered students and it gave her a chance to put a gentle hand on Haruka’s arm. “Be nice,” she cautioned.

“I am nice, when it’s warranted,” she muttered. “Are we really going to play their game?”

Michiru smirked at her and whispered in Japanese “Not exactly, we’re going to play mine.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Ravenclaws, though Ami hadn’t thought it possible before, asked far too many questions. “What do you mean you didn’t go to magical school?” “what’s your wand made of?” “Do you really use wands as forks?” and though it hadn’t been asked to her, “Why do you use a glaive?” had been by far the most prevalent question. She and Hotaru had weaved their way through the packed common room with the question coming from everyone from the Quidditch Captain to the other first years. Truly, she had been tired after the feast and after being held up in the common room for an hour by curious students, she and Hotaru were exhausted.

Eventually, one prefect, Anthony Goldstein was kind enough to point Hotaru towards the first year dorms. “And the fifth years are up there,” he directed her. She saw a couple other girls who’d introduced themselves as fifth years at dinner were already making their way up the winding stairs. That would mean more questions. Ami sighed. She was desperate for quiet. “What about the library.”

Anthony laughed heartily. “you’re gonna fit in well here,” he said, running a hand through his curly brown mop of hair. “Unfortunately the big library’s closed at this hour but,” and he beckoned her over towards the stone bust of a regal looking woman with a strange tiara on her head. “We do have Lady Ravenclaw’s personal collection.” He bowed to the statue. “Wit beyond measure,” he said.

She gasped when the bust smiled and said in a low voice “Is the world’s greatest treasure.” And there was a groan as a section of the wall behind the bust slid away, revealing endless shelves of bookshelves with bronze accents carved into the sides. She could see plush blue armchairs tucked away by the windows and plenty of lit candlesticks at just the perfect height to be reading lights.

 _This isn’t the big library_ , she thought in wonder as she wandered in between the shelves. “Thank you,” she whispered to Anthony.

“Any time…I recommend the magical theory ones in section 25, but you’ll find pretty much everything here. And he left her to it, returning to the crowd of Ravenclaws in the common room still perfectly content to gossip the night away.

The section of the wall shut behind him and she was, at last, alone among the shelves. She wandered for some time, fingers running over the ancient spines of books that looked to have been hand-bound _and_ hand-written. It was impossible to pick just one.

Eventually, she settled on one of the smaller bookcases that stood next to a warm – looking candlestick and an empty armchair, close enough that one could lean over to grab a book without leaving the seat. She did just that, grabbing the first book within reach.

 _Pythagorean Arithmancy: Un-spelling out the Secrets of Giza_.

She dove into the book promptly, fingers twitching over the ancient calligraphy and the many diagrams with curiousity. “I wish I’d remembered a notebook,” she muttered.

Something shuffled nearby, and she glanced up to see an unrolled length of parchment hovering near her nose and a bottle of ink, and matching black quill, floating near her hand.

 _If this is just the library, I can’t wait for classes!_ She thought, biting her lip as she concentrated on copying notes with the medieval writing tool. Lack of computers aside, she was definitely going to enjoy school here.

~ _SMH_ ~

Gryffindor was clearly not built for quiet, Minako decided. Even the common room seemed designed to carry the students boisterous voices as far as magically possible. Even after the clocks struck eleven and many of the younger years had retired to bed, the older gryffindors for the most part remained awake, crowding into the cozy common room practicing spells, playing exploding cards, and, in the case of the two Weasley twins, daring a number of other house members into pranking themselves with what appeared to be trick-sweets.

Minako hadn’t fallen for it herself of course, but she’d made sure Rei had. The sight of her briefly turning into a red canary had been well worth the angry outburst. She’d become human again in burst of fire, feathers burning to the ground all around the common room causing many students to stare. The fire senshi had then proceeded to chase Minako all over the crowded common room in a race that sent everyone around into fits of giggles.

“It was _funny_!” she called behind her, and yipped as a wheel of fire soared past her head. It had only been a month since she’d gotten the Cherry wand and Rei was already becoming a tad too-good at the fire charms for comfort.

“Here try this one” she heard a girl’s voice call over the laughter. “ _Rictusempra_ ”

Suddenly she was falling forwards, clutching her stomach as what felt like a million fingers set to tickling her. She howled with laughter until her ribs hurt, twitching and rolling across the carpet to the amusement of every Gryffindor around.

“It…was…funny.” She gasped as the spell continued to tickle her, and she saw familiar red heels step up next to her. Rei loomed above her with her eyebrows turned down angrily and a devilish smirk spread across her face.

“What do you say.”

“You…make…an adorable canary.” She stammered and shrieked as the tickling intensified. “Alright! Alright! I’m sorry!”

Rei then nodded at someone nearby and the tickling ceased. Minako collapsed onto the carpet grinning.

“What was that spell again,” Rei asked.

“ _Rictusempra_ ,” the spellcaster said, and Minako recognized the voice this time: Ginny.

“That was a good shot, Gin.” One of the twins said.

“And Miss. Pyro,” the other said to Rei

“We have to know,”

“How did you light all the feathers on fire?” the two boys asked together.

“Miss. Pyro?” Rei asked.

“I like it,” Minako grinned, sitting up and accepting Rei’ hand as she pulled herself to her feet, she ran a hand through her hair as she looked around the common room. “Uh…where’s Usagi?” she asked.

“I think she went up to bed,” Ginny said.

Indeed she had, Minako and Rei’s antics had been amusing at first, until Usagi’d caught sight of the many comfy chairs around the Gryffindor common room filled with couples. It was probably their reunion after a long summer apart and she had needed to look away from the joyful, happy pairs of students cuddled into the armchairs and around the fire. Even in the large crowd of students, they were all she could focus on once her friends hand been distracted.

The quiet, winding stairs up to the girls dorms had been a welcome avenue of retreat. She had made her way up as quickly as she could, just a little angry at her friends for not noticing her leaving.

 _But really it’s not their fault_ , she sniffed. _They’re having fun_ , _and of course we weren’t going to find Mamoru in one night, I can’t blame them_.

Since most of the upper years were still in the common room, she had fully expected the fifth year girls dorm to be empty. But that wasn’t the case. She and the other occupant of the room jumped as the caught sight of each other. The girl’s face was illuminated by a bright jar of blue flames hovering over her seat on the window sill, highlighting her bushy hair as well as the large book balanced in her lap. _Hermione_ , Usagi recognized from dinner and the train.

“Uh, sorry,” Usagi said. “I just came up for some quiet.”

“Oh no, it’s alright.” Hermione smiled. “I heard some commotion down stairs though, Fred and George aren’t still messing with the first years are they?”

“No just the upper years.”

“Well, if they fall for it that’s on them – they should be well familiar with those two’s antics by now.” Hermione said, looking out the window. “I maybe should go down again and keep the peace.”

“No,” Usagi said. “I definitely saw a few other people with badges down there, you can’t expect to do all the peace keeping yourself – after all.” She smiled. “You and the other prefects are a team right?”

Hermione cocked her head to the side as she considered this. “I suppose we are… in each of the houses anyways.” She sighed. “Some of us take the job more seriously than others.”

“Well, I did just get here… but I think, you can let the other prefects handle Fred and George for a while,” Usagi said, taking the seat across from Hermione in the window. She stared at the floating blue flames in the jar. “Did you make that?”

“Oh that, yeah. It’s one of my best spells. I mean…no one else really puts them in a jar but I find it makes a good reading lamp you know.”

“Yeah.” Usagi nodded, reaching out and grabbing the floating jar from the air between them. “And it’s warm,” she smiled at Hermione. “You must be super bright.”

“They do call me a book worm for a reason,” Hermione said. “Not to be mean anymore.”

“Well good.” Usagi said nodding. “I mean, I’m super jealous. I wish I were a bookworm sometimes. But,” she thought staring sceptically down at Hermione’s huge book. “Comics are more fun.”

Hermione laughed. “I’ve never read one.”

“WHAT!” Usagi stared at her. “Well…that’s that’s…we’re gonna have to fix that.” She decided, slapping her fist against her palm. She set the jar of flames aside and leaned over Hermione’s book “What’s that anyways?”

“Oh it’s nothin…”

But Usagi had already read the title scrawled across the top of one of the books ancient pages. _Introduction the theory of Dark Magic._

Hermione slammed the book shut and hugged it close. “I swear it’s not – I would never do these spells…well most of them. Anyways. It’s not what you think.” She sighed, looking out at the moonlit grounds. “There’s…lots of dark wizards in Britain these days, and one of them, V-” she cleared her throat. “Voldemort’s been after a friend of mine. He…attacked him last year. It killed another student.” She looked back down at the book in her hands. “We’ve been learning how to defend ourselves for years but…over the summer I realized it was so blind of us not to even consider how the magic they use works. I thought it I studied it maybe I could help.” She looked up warily at Usagi. “I’m not using Dark magic, I swear!”

Usagi held up her hands. “Hey, I don’t even know what’s so bad about it. but…I have seen more than my fair share of evil magic people.” She looked thoughtfully at Hermione as a grin formed on her face. “Nah…you don’t strike me as the evil type. You’re hairstyle’s too normal.”

Hermione laughed. “I swear that’s not how it works. _Honestly_ , You and Ron.” She shook her head. “You’re just going to believe me though? Just like that.”

“I am a good judge of character.” Usagi said, and then grew serious for just a moment as she looked down at her hands. “I’ve…lost someone too, lots of times. And I’ve had to face a lot of bad people too. So I know, even if other people don’t understand, that you try everything you can to help…whether that's stop the bad people or get your friends back.”

Hermione thought for a moment. “Did you lose someone recently, is that why you’re here.”

“He’s not lost.” Usagi said quickly. “Not like that anyways. It’s ah…complicated.” She shook her head as Hermione looked at her sceptically. “He’s coming back. I know it.”

Hermione stared at the blond girl, who didn’t seem to realize she still had a few tears in her eyes. Then set her book aside and held out her hand. “Well if you need help finding him, I’ll be here.” She said. “Friends?”

Usagi grinned at her, the widest grin Hermione had seen her sport all night. It seemed as though it made her eyes sparkle. “Yeah…friends.”

~ _SMH_ ~

_…They’re settling in well on a whole – Usagi’s ended up in the same house as Rei and Minako. They’re table was the loudest at the feast (which, as you would assume, also put her in good spirits). So I don’t think you and Artemis should worry too much about Usagi’s mood. Her house seems quite jovial and full of students eager to welcome newcomers. I think we both know nothing cheers Usagi quite like making new friends._

_I’ll write again soon – please don’t try to claw the poor owl if it nips at your tail. He’s already given me quite the affronted look for telling him he’s to deliver this to the cat._

_I hope Tokyo stays quiet for you and Artemis,_

_~Setsuna._

Setsuna set her pen aside, having forgone the Wix’s quills and ink in favour of their more practical muggle counterpart, and reviewed the letter twice over before beckoning to the large, horned owl roosting on her window sill.

“Remember you’re to give this to the purple cat,” she said as it hopped over to her, feeling just as ridiculous now as when she’d gone to the Owlery looking for a bird who’d be willing to carry the mail. It was unfortunately quite the hassle to hike all the way across the grounds just to use the Time Doors. Setsuna sighed, affixed the letter to the bird’s outstretched leg with a bit of string, and carried it back to the window. It chattered and pecked at her ear the whole way as she protested, covering her ear to save it from the bird’s affections.

The first knock at her door came as she was holding the stubborn animal out the window. She frowned. She hadn’t even told the others where her chambers were. The sharp rap against her door sounded again.

“Go on, go!” She told the stubborn bird, shaking her arm until is shrieked and soared away. “Who the hell even came up with owl post,” she muttered and walked to the door, wondering which of her friends had managed to find her room _and_ break their curfew on the first day.

But it wasn’t another senshi, she found out, when she pulled the massive door open and revealed the regal looking figure of the Deputy Headmistress standing under the dramatic light of the hallway’s many candles.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t have retired yet,” Mcgonagall said, her mouth twitching upwards though she didn’t smile. Setsuna got the impression it wouldn’t have been a natural expression on her face. “I just wanted to come round and check in, how are you finding Hogwarts?”

“Oh it’s quite impressive,” Setsuna said, giving the Deputy a slight nod. “I imagined such a big castle would hold more students though.”

“There were…in years past,” Mcgonagall said with a sigh, looking out down the winding hall, where the soft light of the candle sticks danced across the many suits of armor. “In any case, I wanted to see how you were settling in. And seeing as you’re quite new to our Magical society, a couple other faculty and I wanted to ask if you’d join us for a drink. It’s a first night’s tradition – only night the whole year when the children are two tired to attempt any after-hours adventures.” She smirked.

Setsuna paused, glancing back into her dark rooms and towards the purse at her desk with her henshin wand. It would be quite odd to bring the bag to a simple drink. _But what if there’s an enemy._

“Unless of course you’re tired,” Mcgonagall offered. “They’ll certainly understand.”

 _There isn’t any danger here_ , Setsuna reminded herself. The world wasn’t going to end if she acted like an ordinary teacher for a while.

“I’d love a drink,” she said, stepping out of her rooms and letting the doors swing shut behind her. “Thank you, Professor.”

Mcgonagall chuckled and rolled her eyes as she led them towards one of the moving staircases. “Just Minerva, Professor Meioh” She told their new faculty member. “To friends, at least.”

Setsuna’s heart did an uncomfortable flip. She hadn’t even considered the other teachers might want to be friends. Certainly, none of her co-workers in the past had ever expressed such an interest.

“Call me Setsuna,” she said.

Minerva felt a genuine smile tug at her lips. She directed them up the stairs and up through more stairs and halls. The two of them traversed the labryinth of the castle towards the gathering of professors who would currently be passing glasses of Firewhiskey around Minerva’s parlour. Along the way they completely bypassed the newly filled quarters guarded by a portrait of a garish pink cat. Minerva considered whether it was bad form to extend the invitation to only one of their new additions, but promptly dismissed the thought. Setsuna had seemed thoughtful and quite clever at their staff meeting and again at dinner. And sincere – a quality she saw far too little of these days. Dolores Umbridge had made a distinctly less favourable impression on her.

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good_ ~


	4. The New Professors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Scouts meet Umbridge, among other notable events during the first week of the new term.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Fourth chapter is here! I had fun writing this one. Apologies for any inconstancies. Tragically, I have no access to my Harry Potter books right now so I have to use the internet and the clips from the movies as my guide for how the scenes played out. (That said, I’m hoping to have brief access to them in two weeks and will hopefully be able to take some thorough notes while I do).
> 
> As an aside, I just want to mention: an overwhelming number of people sent me reviews and PMs about the last chapter and it was really excellent. I was grinning like a goof ball all week. But…a perplexingly large percentage of you have spoken up about your feelings about the inevitable Usagi/Harry pairing and I think I should just mention…
> 
> I never said anywhere that Harry was Mamoru…though I guess I never said he wasn’t either.
> 
> Just keep your minds open is all I’m saying. For all you know I don’t even know who Mamo-chan is yet. ;)
> 
> Disclaimer: Don’t own either series. Also don’t own Steven Universe (my new obsession) but I might be diving into that gloriously gay sandbox some point in the near future soon too…
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the scouts first week of school!

 

  **The New Professors**

The first morning of classes at Hogwarts could generally be said to be an happy one, free from the gloom that would settle in once the bitter winter temperatures set in later in the term, and further infused with excitement by the many students eager to resume their studies, their clubs and sports, and catch up with their friends.

However, for many of Hogwarts seventh years, that mood had vanished by the end of the second block of the morning when a large portion of the class had Defence Against the Dark Arts. When the second block of classes was up, the thirty NEWT students trudged out of class with slumped shoulders and in some cases frustrated scowls. Clearly, Michiru and Haruka gathered from the conversation starting up around them, this class had not been a normal one by any standard.

“You know for once in my life,” one of the Weasley twins said as the classroom door swung shut behind the last student.

“I actually think,” the other continued.

“I have no way to joke about this,” they chorused. And Haruka and Michiru saw students from most of the other houses – save their own – nod in agreement.

“I think I prefered Lockhart,” another Gryffindor muttered. “At least with him you could count on learning something practical when he bungled up his lessons.”

“Hell, I even prefer the death eater over this lady!” one Weasley twin exclaimed.

“Yeah what’s she gonna teach us to do against Moldywarts?” the other said, and all around them, the other NEWT students gasped, several of their Slytherin classmates shooting aghast looks at the Weasleys. “Bore him to death with a lecture on the correct classification of Blasting Curses?”

Haruka snorted under her breath. The boy had a point. She’d imagined this “Defense against the Dark Arts” class would be the most useful of the five on her schedule. But it was quickly shaping up to be a disappointment. Not even Michiru had been able to pay attention, spending class making notes with her about the other seventh years.

“Watch your tongue, Weasley.” One of their new Slytherin roommates – a blond named Celeste McNair – snapped, her hand reaching down towards her wand. “You’re insulting a professor.”

“Oh that’s rich coming from you,” another Gryffindor girl – Johnson said as the large group continued down the wide corridor towards the entrance hall. “You don’t seem to have a problem insulting Flitwick or Mcgonagall,”

“Or Sprout,” one dark haired Hufflepuff boy glared.

“Or Hagrid,” both twins continued. “Or,”

“She’s with the ministry!” Celeste snapped.

“Sure it isn’t our nickname”

“For your ickle-dark lordy,”

“You have a problem with?” the twins finished together.

“You’re accusing me,” she hissed, drawing her wand. But Maximus Warrington caught her arm.

“ _Enough,_ ” Warrington told her. “Don’t listen to their drivel.” And he dragged her ahead of the group towards the doors of the Entrance hall, most of the other Slytherins following behind him. He whispered the next part, but not so low that Michiru and Haruka couldn’t hear. “ _They’ll get what’s coming to them eventually._ ”

The Weasley twins glared after the Slytherins. “She won’t be singing Umbridge’s praises for long.” One of the Ravenclaws – Roger Davies – pointed out. “Whether He-who-must-not-be-named is back or not, that woman’s going to ruin all our chances of passing the NEWT practical.” Several other students eyes widened as they realized this as well.

“Well maybe the ministry will scrap that part of the exam too,” another of them pointed out.

The group split in half when they reached the entrance hall – half the Gryffindors and several Hufflepuffs headed towards the grand stairs while Michiru and Haruka followed the rest – Including the Weasley twins and only one other Slytherin – down the north corridor and through the castle’s courtyard. It was a long trek from there through the rear part of the castle and across a covered bridge towards the clock tower. A couple other seventh years caught up with them along the way, but the group that finally arrived at the tower and headed to the second floor was only about 10 students. Clearly, Setsuna’s class wasn’t a popular one.

“Woah,” one of the Weasley’s murmured as he pushed open the door of the classroom.

Seemingly, Setsuna’d had some say in the design of her classroom, and quite a bit of time or magic to prepare it.

The room was modestly sized compared to some classrooms at home, with only sixteen desks spaced evenly in four rows. But it was the walls that all the students gaped at as they stood and stared from the back of the class.

Save for the tall, narrow windows, every inch of the walls was covered in posters, some frozen upon one image, but many moving the way they’d come to expect from Wizarding photos. And above many were dates.

“Did Wizards have color photography when the Pyramids were built?” Haruka asked, smirking at one image on the timeline of the French Revolution.

“Breaking the laws of time for a good photo,” Michiru chuckled. “We’re a bad influence on her.”

“Good.” Haruka grinned. “She could stand to break her own rules more – live a little.”

The timeline spanned the entire classroom, featuring events from as far back as the Bronze age and devoting an entire wall to the events of the 20th century. Everything from important historical events, to advertisements and famous artwork covered the walls from floor to ceiling.

“What’s that!” One of the Ravenclaws said, pointing up at the ceiling.

A very old projector swung on a chain just over their heads, aimed at the only blank spot in the classroom – a white projector screen rolled up above the blackboard.

“Good morning class,” Setsuna said as she entered the room behind them, a garnet brooch adorning her otherwise simple, elegant burgundy robes. “Everyone take a seat at a desk – the first three rows.”

“Did you decorate the whole room yourself?” Michiru asked as she and Haruka hung back to walk with Setsuna

“And how’d you get all the old color photos?” Haruka teased.

Setsuna looked away. “It was for an educational purpose,” she muttered. “How was the other new teacher?”

“Dreadful,” Michiru whispered as they walked towards the front of the class. She and Haruka slid into two seats in the second row and Setsuna walked up to her desk, tapping her wand against the blackboard.

Immediately, white chalk writing appeared on the surface.

_Professor Meioh._

“As I’m new to this school,” Setsuna said, surveying the class, “We’ll start with some introductions. Tell me your name, how much experience you have with the non-magical world, and – something interesting you’ve learned about the non-magical world.” And she gestures towards the student left most in the first row – a tall, dark-haired Hufflepuff boy.

“Right,” he clears his throat. “So…my name’s Hamish Stebbins. I’ve uh… well I lived in the Muggle world when I was _really_ young. But, my parents got, uh,” he cleared his throat as most of the class averted their eyes. The Ravenclaw boy beside him put a hand on Hamish shoulder. “they got killed during the war…anyways. I lived with my cousins after that. And they were all pure-bloods, so I don’t really remember much of the muggle world.” He shrugged. “Professor Babbage though, she taught us that they’ve got their own moving pictures now – call them VHSes or something. Aparently they can even do them in color now.”

Haruka and Michiru saw Setsuna raise one eyebrow as she thought this over. But otherwise betrayed none of her thoughts. The two of them, meanwhile, added “the war” to a growing list of things that needed to be investigated.

The Ravenclaw boy next to Stebbins sat up straighter in his seat and smiled. “Rigel Fawcett,” he said. “I’m a pure-blood as far back as we can remember. Got one squib cousin I don’t see much. So the muggle world’s pretty foreign to me. For instance…” he paused as he thought. “We learned last year that they have giant metal flying machines that run on propellers and can carry two people.”

Setsuna’s sceptical eyebrow raised even further. “could you show me what the flying machine you learnt about is like?”

“Uh…yeah, may I?” he said, raising his wand.

When she nodded, Fawcett stood up, and pointed his wand at the roll of parchment on his desk. He furrowed his brows and closed his eyes, before giving the wand an abrupt flick.

At once, the parchment flew into the air and twisted, ends warping together until a new object soared above Fawcett’s head propelled by a single propeller on the nose and two rudimentary wings – a classic old bi-plane.

“Thank you Mr. Fawcett,” Setsuna said. “And was that the newest model you’ve studied.”

“There’s better ones?” he whispered as several students murmured in interest. Haruka and Michiru smirked along with Setsuna.

“We’ll get to that,” Setsuna promised and directed her gaze to the third student in the first row – a short girl Haruka and Michiru recognized as one of their new roommates.

“Avery. Morgana Avery,” she declared, sweeping neatly curled brown hair over her shoulder. “And I’ve never set foot in the muggle world. I haven’t learned anything interesting about them. Except that they, apparently, try to make up for their magicless-ness with some deadly element called electricallity.”

“Electricity,” one of the Weasley twins snorted to her left. “Name’s Fred, that’s George.”

“Though not even we’re quite sure since our mother calls us both.” His twin smirked.

“Yeah, and unlike some pure-bloods we’re not here cause it’s an easy grade.” Fred said with a pointed smirk at Morgana. “Our Dad’s fascinated with muggle stuff…and we’ve got to say, they definitely know how to crack a joke.”

“They’ve got Woopie cushions,”

“Clowns,”

“and even jobs called Comedians,”

“Where you get paid,”

“To tell jokes.” They finished together.

Setsuna chuckled at them. “Something you’d be interested in?”

“Most definitely,” they declared.

She nodded, clearly thinking something over and moved on to the second row, skipping over Haruka and Michiru.

“What gives?” Haruka muttered.

“We’ve actually lived non-magically” Michiru reminded her as Timothy Abbott introduced himself. “She’s leaving us for last.”

Indeed, the other six students in the class all finished their introductions. Non of them had ever lived non-magical before and had bemusing answers to Setsuna’s question: ranging from bewilderment at the function of a hair-dryer to shock at the existence of “music pods” made out of “apples” (Haruka got a few dirty looks for snorting at that one).

And final Setsuna nodded to them. “My students have lived in the non-magical world all their lives. So the two of you get a different question: what do you think of the magical world.”

“Well,” Michiru said once giving she and Haruka’s names. “I’ve been quite amused by the fact that everyone writes with quill and ink rather than pens…they’re just so convenient.”

“Yeah…and there’s no TV,” Haruka added. “Like…how does anyone watch sports?”

“Obviously you have to go to the game,” Rigel Fawcett said from the front row. “But the announcers on the radio keep it pretty lively too.”

“Besides isn’t TV something you have to put records in?” Stebbins asked. “I mean, everyone would know the outcome of the match before you.”

Haruka opened her mouth to respond when Setsuna waved a hand to get her attention.

“That seems as good a place as any to start.” Setsuna said, and she tapped her wand towards the blackboard again, prompting yet more writing to materialize across the board. As it did, she folded her hands behind her back and said. “We’re all going to take a pop quiz together…” she grinned as the whole classroom groaned. “I promise it’ll be fun. And ungraded…though if I could kindly ask the two of you not to give away the answers.” She nodded to Haruka and Michiru. “There’s five things on the board here. I want you to tell me who you think has done them: Non-magicals, or Wix.”

All twelve students directed their gaze towards the board.

 _Established the first democracy_.

_Invented the wooden spear._

_Spread the bubonic plague_

_Built the pyramids_

_Walked on The Moon_

 

“Oh it was _definitely_ wizards for the first one.” Stebbins declared in the first row. “If I recall, Linus the I in Rome was the first to renounce his title as First Warlock, declaring wizards in his town should elect their leader.”

“Hmmm, indeed he did, but he was actually not the first.” Setsuna said, and snapped her fingers. Immediately, the overhead projector flickered and turned on, showing full color images of what they recognized as Athens, Greece. “Athens non-magical citizens had the idea fairly early on, alongside a few other civilizations…” she said as a few more slides flickered across the screen “are known to have adopted the concept as well – and had greater success maintaining it. In fact, the longest running Democracy actually belongs to neither Wix nor non-magicals but, as I learned this week” a final slide clicks into place on the projector or the Wix bank in Diagon Alley “the Goblins.”

Around them many students were frowning or leaning forward with interest, a few seemed to be reviewing the other events on Setsuna’s list with more scepticism while the Ravenclaws had all pulled out their parchment and quills to scribble down notes.

“How about the second one?” Setsuna said.

“Okay, well clearly the spear is a muggle invention.” Morgana Avery said. “I mean honestly, what wizard would fight with a spear.”

“Well you’re partially right,” Setsuna said, snapping her fingers again as the Projector drew up a new image over the blackboard. “It wasn’t a wizard.”

On the screen, was a moving image of a witch in an old, wool cloak and green robes running a man through with a sharpened wand.

“You’re gotta be kidding me.” Avery muttered.

“Most accounts name her as Lin the Lord-slayer.” Setsuna said. “She was a witch in a family where witches weren’t educated and also poorly treated. When she discovered they were marrying her off, she stole her father’s wand to make her escape. Having no idea how to cast spells, she used the rough, sharp end of the primitive wand to her advantage.” Setsuna smirked “first known account of a spear.”

“Okay, then is the bubonic plague wizards as well,” George Weasley grinned. “Lemme guess, potions experiment gone wrong?”

“That’s five point to Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley.” Setsuna said and the redhead’s eyes widened in shock. “Because you’re quite right.” A new slide appeared, of a man in a simple looking hut brewing a potion over a fire. “Some potioners, you’ll know from class are quite clumsy.” The ancient wizard jumped back as one of his ingredients spilled into the fire, causing it to flare up, as the end of his robes caught fire he flailed, attempting to charm the flames away with his wand, and accidentally kicking over his cauldron. “A boil-removing potion set free at just the wrong time.” They could see several rats running away from the spill. “collected on a few rats – all of whom had fleas mind – and it was only a matter of time before those creatures wound up on a shipping vessel bound for Europe.” She said as the image faded out. “Anyone want to take a guess at the pyramids.”

“I mean,” Kenny Towler cleared his throat. “I want to guess wizards but…muggles.”

“Another five points to Gryffindor,” Setsuna declared. “You’re quite correct. The labor force that built those structures was entirely non-magical…it was the pharaohs who ordered their construction that were wizards, and all curses laid upon the buildings were added in as it was constructed.”

“But why use a muggle workforce to do it?” Fawcett frowned.   
Setsuna pulled a face and shrugged. “Many have debated the same thing. I believe what it comes down to is that the Egyptians did not have the best of levitation and construction charms at hand…and that perhaps to the magical elite of that society, using magic for manual labour was not a prestigious enough use for their powers.”

“Okay we get it – muggles did lots of shit.” Morgana Avery snapped. “But I know the last one’s wizards.”

“Five points from Slytherin for your language, Miss. Avery,” Setsuna said. “care to enlighten us on the final one.”

“Well obviously the first person to walk on the moon was Ulric the Ungrounded.” She huffed. “He was a wizard in the 1970s who was quite accomplished at apparition and he decided during the War that he’d had quite enough of the fighting and wanted to escape the Earth, so he apparated himself all the way to the moon,” she explained, crossing her arms over her chest. “He died upon arrival of course but you can still see his corpse if you look in the right place.”

“hmm, you know I didn’t even know about him.” Setsuna said, “what year did he do this.”

“1978.” She drawled.

“Oh,” Setsuna chuckled. “So about a decade off then.”

“There was…someone else?” Timothy Abbott said slowly.

“There were two, actually.” Setsuna said and snapped her fingers once more as a new image lit up on the blackboard.

 _1969_ the block text appeared against a black backdrop. _Apollo 11_.

It was not the well known black-and-white video footage that followed, but crystal clear imagery just like all the videos and images before it, almost as though Setsuna had been there.

“How is she doing this?” Haruka whispered, looking up at the projecter as the wix students stared gobsmacked at Neil Armstrong stepping in full space-suit out onto The Moon’s surface.

The light coming out of the ancient machine was white but something inside was glowing a deep red. Haruka smirked as she noticed the bottom of the projector had the same lavender color and design as Setsuna’s garnet orb.

“She might be having too much fun with this,” Michiru said as the astronauts on screen set the US flag into the Moon’s surface. She could see all around the stunned looks on all their classmates faces and noticed Setsuna hiding a smirk behind her hand.

The clip of the moon landing ended in short order and Setsuna tapped the blackboard, letting all the writing disappear. “Now,” she said, gesturing towards her desk. “Get out a piece of parchment all of you. Tell me what you thought of those glimpses of history and what questions you have about non-magical life based on them and our earlier discussion. Twenty minutes.” And she proceeded to sit down atop her desk and pick up a large stack of parchment notes. While the rest of the class occupied themselves with setting up parchment and ink, Michiru and Haruka caught Setsuna’s eye and grinned at her, Haruka giving her a thumbs up.

Setsuna bit back her own grin and gestured for the two of them to get to their assignment as she reviewed her plan for the rest of the lesson. So far, she thought as she held her notes in a shaky grip, she seemed to be doing alright.

 _This might be easier than I assumed_. She thought.

~ _SMH_ ~

By the time the final block of the morning had ended the student body was a buzz with news of the classes. The first years who’d had their first Transfiguration lesson announced to anyone who would listen that their teacher was a cat. While the rest of the school seemed to have come to a concensus on the two newest professors already. First: Professor Meioh was either the smartest person alive (according the Weasleys) or completely mental (according to Avery). And Second (agreed upon by a clear majority of students): Professor Umbridge was the worst.

For the fifth years in Gryffindor who would have her class that afternoon, the rumors about Umbridge took precedence.

“Haruka-chan!” Usagi cried as she spotted the blond upon bounding through the doors of the Great Hall. She promptly raced up to the table and slid onto the bench next to Haruka, hugging her around the waist. “Guess what!”

“Bun-head you’re getting your elbow in my food.” Haruka complained as Michiru laughed on her other side. She noticed the rest of the Slytherin table staring at them and frowned. “How were your classes?” she asked Usagi.

“Boooring,” Usagi sighed. “History’s taught by a ghost – and he’s so dull. Even _Ami_ couldn’t pay attention.”

“A…ghost,” Michiru said, glancing at the pale figures floating around the hall. She hadn’t paid them much notice the night before but then again, she hadn’t noticed any of them talking either.

“He’s so old. I thought I’d be interested in goblins but nope! Snooze fest,” she said, spotting the sweet rolls slightly down the table from her. “Ohh…can I have one.”

Michiru and Haruka laughed as Michiru passed over the basket of treats. “Did you only have history?” Haruka asked.

“Uhuh,” Usagi said as she stuffed the treat in her mouth. “We haf Potions too…he was super mean. Oh, and how do we get new cauldrons?”

“That is a Setsuna question,” Michiru said, eyes drifting to the Slytherins who had still not stopped staring. “Why?”

“Mina and I melted ours.” Usagi said. “We’re not allowed to brew together anymore.”

“Honestly, Usako.” Haruka chuckled, “And it’s still the first day,”

Immediately though, Usagi’s eyes began to tear up and she looked away. Haruka froze _shit_ , as she realized she’d just used Mamoru’s nickname for Usagi. “hey, shit, I’m sorry. Usagi-chan”

“No,” Usagi shook her head and sniffed, rubbing the tears out of her eyes. “Don’t worry about it.” she said, pulling a smile. “I still like being called Usako.”

“We’ll find him in no time,” Michiru said. “I bet we’ll even learn magic that can help us.”

“You’re right.” Usagi said, and Haruka sighed in relief when she could see there was no more trace of tears. Usagi then looked past Haruka and Michiru and frowned. “Uh…why is everyone staring.”

“You’re sitting at the _Slytherin_ table.” One girl announced as she walked past them, purposefully bumping into Usagi. “Or are Gryffindors just that dull.”

“She’s a friend of ours,” Michiru declared. “She was invited.”

“The houses don’t sit together.” The Malfoy boy said from farther down the table. “Course, you wouldn’t know that.”

“Is it against the rules,” Haruka challenged.

“Y-yes.” Malfoy said.

“A-actually” a Ravenclaw said, from their bench at the next table. “It’s…uh, not actually a rule.”

“Shut your trap, Boot.” Malfoy said.

“Five points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy.” A diminutive man piped up as he walked towards the Head table. “and five points _to_ you Mr. Boot, for having read the rulebook thoroughly.” The short Professor gave Malfoy a cool stare until the blond boy grumbled and turned back to his lunch, then directed it at the whole Slytherin table until every student had returned to their previous conversations.

Usagi sighed as the professor left and stood up from the table. “Probably best if I go then,” she pouted.

“You can still sit with us whenever you like,” Michiru told her. “They can just get used to it.”

“I guess so. Or you could sit with us!” Usagi said.

The two of them glanced at eachother and then at the Gryffindor table, crowded with an active bunch of students dressed in the flamboyant red and gold fashions of the house colors: ranging from dyed hair to bedazzled cloaks. The students were crowded close together at the table as loud, boisterous laughter and shouting echoed out towards the other tables. There appeared to be quite a bit of pushing, shoving, and wand waving going on as well. “some how I think they’re reactions might be even less…tame then our peers.” Michiru said lightly. “perhaps when it’s less crowded.”

“Okay!” Usagi grinned, grabbing one more sweet roll as she bounded back towards the red-and-gold table.

“Hey newbies,” another seventh year – Maxmius brother Cassius – said. “Word of advice, we don’t mind if you wanna invite your little friends over, but not the three Gryffindors alright?”

“And what’s exactly wrong with them?” Haruka demanded.

“They’re Gryffindors.” The fifth year Prefect girl sniffed. “What’s not wrong with them?”

As the rest of the table laughed Michiru and Haruka traded glances. “None of them are Mamoru right?” Haruka asked.   
“Hopefully no,” Michiru sighed.

~ _SMH_ ~

They Gryffindor fifth years were in good spirits as they bustled through the doors of the Defence classroom, laughing and talking loudly.

“I swear Rei gave Trewlawney more sass than _you_ , Hermione.” Ron grinned as he and Harry took the desk across from her. Hermione for her part turned swiftly towards the dark-haird exchange student who had calmly slid into the desk behind her with Minako. And Usagi laughed along with Ron as she slid in next to Hermione.

“And – and,” Minako grinned, kicking her legs as she shook with laughter, which had begun the second the trap door of the Divination classroom had swung closed after class and had only intensified as they made their way to class. “And then Tr-trelawney said _you_ didn’t have a gift. Oh, I’m gonna die. This is too good.” She cackled.”

For her part, Harry thought, Rei looked about to burst into flames. “She does the tea leaves. All. Wrong.” Rei hissed. “Ugh, why did Setsuna put us in that class.”

“Maybe she thought it’d teach you…how to see better.” Usagi giggled and ducked as Rei sent the cork from her ink bottle rocketing towards Usagi’s head.

“Hey!” Lavender Brown exclaimed from the next row up as the cork hit her in the back of the head. “Knock it of –”

“ _Hem. Hem_.” The quiet cough from the front of the room startled them and the first two rows of students looked up as Professor Umbridge (in an atrocious amount of pink in Minako’s expert opinion). Emerged from the side door.

“Good Morning, Children.” And she gave another quiet cough and stood expectantly at the front of the room until all of the students had quieted. With a too-sweet smile, she waved her wand towards the chalkboard as the chalk began to write. She announced the words as it wrote them. “Ordinary. Wizarding. Level. Examinations: O.W.L.s. More commonly known as “Owls.” She said, folding her hands before her and smiling too widely at the class. It looked as though it might freeze in that expression, Minako decided. “Study hard, and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be… severe.” And with a flick of her wand a stack of textbooks lifted themselves free of the desk and drifted one after the other onto the students desks. “Now, your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But, you will be pleased to know that from now on you will be following a carefully structured, ministry approved course of defensive magic.” Rei glanced down at her text book and frowned. _Basics for Beginners_. Surely the fifth years had to have studied past the basics by now.

On the board, Umbridge was even now rattling off the course aims as they appeared in the overly saccharine tone that was quickly grating on all of their nerves.

And then Usagi noticed Hermione beside her raise her hand stiffly in the air and hold it there as Umbridge continued to talk. The professor carried on, pointedly not looking at her.

Finally Hermione lost her patience and stood – hand still raised. “I’ve got a query about your course aims,” she said.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows. “And your name is — ?”

“Hermione Granger,” said Hermione.

“Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully,” said Professor Umbridge in a voice of determined sweetness.

“Well, I don’t,” said Hermione bluntly. “There’s nothing written up there about using defensive spells.” There was a short silence in which many members of the class turned their heads to frown at the three course aims still written on the blackboard.

“Using defensive spells?” Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh.

“Why, I can’t imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren’t expecting to be attacked during class?”

Ron Weasley shot his hand up as well. “You mean we’re not gonna use magic?” he frowned.

“You’ll be learning about Defensive spells in a secure, risk free way.”

“What use is that,” Harry Potter exclaimed. “If we’re gonna be attacked, it won’t be risk-free.”

“Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class,” Umbridge said, ignoring Harry. As she surveyed the rest of the class with her permanently plastered-on smile. “It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge would be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all is what school is all about.”

At once hands around the room – mostly their fellow Gryffindors shoot up as many voices clamor for attention, Professor Umbridge struggling to placate all of them and her smile twisting more and more into rage as they continue to pester her.

“ _Enough_ questions.” Umbridge finally said.

“And,” Harry spoke up again, this time raising his hand. “How’s theory supposed to prepare us for what’s out there?”

“There’s _nothing_ out there, dear,” Umbridge said with another giggle. “Who do you imagine would want to attack children, like yourself?”

“Oh, I dunno.” Harry said loudly, looking around the class “maybe…Lord Voldemort.”

Around the room, many of their classmates gasped, shook their heads, and looked away. Some whispering to their neighbors.

“Who’s Voldemort?” Minako asked, leaning towards Hermione.

“Now let me make this, quite plain.” Umbridge said firmly, waving both her hands palm-down as though to dismiss Harry’s outburst. “You’ve been told that a certain… Dark Wizard is at large.” She began, walking down the center aisle of desks. Beside Usagi, Hermione gripped her quill so hard it looked about to snap. “Once again,” Umbridge said in an overly-saccharine, soft tone as she walked up close to Harry Potter’s desk. “This. Is. A. Lie.”

“It’s not a lie!” Harry exclaimed, standing up from his seat. “I _saw_ him! I _fought_ him!”

“ _Detention_!” Umbridge snapped, retreating back to the front of the room. “Mr. Potter.”

“So according to you,” Harry carried on. “Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord?”

“Cedric Diggory’s death was a tragic accident –”

“It was _murder_!” Harry shouted back at her. “Voldemort killed him, you must know –”

“ _Enough!_ ” Umbridge shouted. And gave a little _hem hem._ She then walked to her desk, heels clacking loudly in the now silent classroom and scribbled on a small,pink note-paper with her quill. She flicked her wand and the note sailed into Harry Potter’s hand.

“You’re dismissed, Mr. Potter. And you’re to take yourself directly to your head of house.”

And with that Harry Potter stormed out of class, the doors slamming behind him. Umbridge tutted.

“Poor misguided boy,” she shook her head and flicked her wand, all the textbooks flipping open simultaneously to the first page of chapter one. “Now, let’s begin…”

~ _SMH_ ~

Defence, Ami and Makoto confirmed on Tuesday, was equally dreadful for them. Though no one in their class had been kicked out or given detention. It seemed like it had been a nasty detention too. The scouts in Gryffindor reported that Harry had returned to the common room quite late on Monday night and had been down right brooding for the remainder of the evening and much of Tuesday morning.

Their other classes though, put them in much better spirits. Ami and Makoto faired much better in Potions than their Gryffindor friends – concocting a perfect potion on the very first try to the astonishment of both their peers and Professor Snape. And Ami found that she adored Transfiguration – the theory of which was fascinating and apparently somehow tied to the manipulation of an object’s existing properties down to, in the most extreme cases, sub-atomic levels (at which point only Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood, who had followed her to the Gryffindor table Tuesday at dinner, were still listening).

Charms class was shaping up to be a universal favourite – Usagi in particular was gleeful at having gotten the hang of a summoning charm in only three tries. And while Setsuna told Rei that she was not allowed to switch out of Divination “you need at least two electives.” She did find that she enjoyed her other assigned elective – Ancient Ruins – quite a bit more.

All of this, they reported to Setsuna in passing, and in class over the course of the first three days, but the new Professor didn’t manage to get her most desired report until after lunch on Wednesday.

“I’m really going to fly on a broom!” Hotaru cheered, running along beside Setsuna with the glaive held carefully in her left hand. The two of them had just left lunch together – a free block for Setsuna and conveniently timed to coincide with the first years flying lesson.

“You’ve flown before.” Setsuna murmured with a small smile.

“Nuh-uh. It was more like leaping really slowly.” Hotaru said, vigorously shaking her head. “Besides – this is a broomstick!” Hotaru said pointedly. “Do you think they’re safe.”

“Hmmm…I suppose they might have charms on them.” Setsuna mused. “But it wouldn’t matter in any case – you’ll do wonderfully.”

“How do you know,” Hotaru said. “You can see things again now?”

Setsuna shook her head. “sadly no – still just a few frustrating glimpses.” And she reached down to ruffle Hotaru’s hair. “I know because I have faith in you, Little one.”

Hotaru’s resulting grin made Setsuna’s heart skip a beat and the little girl stopped abruptly to wrap her arms around Setsuna’s waist. “Thank you, Mama.” She whispered so that no nearby students would hear.

They made it out to the gathering crowd of first years shortly there after and Hotaru waved excitedly at her fellow Ravenclaw first years. “Can you hold this for me?” she asked, holding out the Silence glaive to Setsuna.

“You can just vanish it.” she told her.

“I know – but it makes everyone nervous when I do,” Hotaru shrugged. “It’s bad enough with the blade on the end…they don’t like that I can just summon it whenever.”

“But they’re Wix…” Setsuna murmured as she accepted the ancient weapon. “Nevermind of course I’ll hold it.”

“Thanks!” Hotaru said as she raced into the crowd of first years, greeting her fellow Ravenclaws excitedly.

It wasn’t long before the lesson had commenced, a no-nonsense, grey haired woman in blue robes giving even and direct instructions to her new students. She caught a flash of green across the grounds and smiled at Haruka and Michiru – watching from beneath a nearby tree under the guise of doing their readings.

“Ah,” a familiar voice said from behind her. She turned and nodded to Minerva McGonagall as she walked up beside Setsuna. “Well I usually don’t have company for these lessons.”

“Just wanted to ensure Hotaru would be alright.” Setsuna said, smiling. “She’s never flown before.”

“Well – she’s doing a magnificent job so far.” Minerva said as a chorus of “up’s” reached their ears from the crowd of students. Setsuna directed her gaze back to the class. Many had their hands over the brooms on the grass as they commanded “up, up” with varying and growing degrees of frustration. And there, stepping gleefully from foot to foot was Hotaru, grinning as she clutched a well-used broomstick close, the grey haired professor clasped her on the shoulder and beamed.

“That’ll have earned her five points to Ravenclaw,” Minerva said. “I’m impressed – usually only students who’ve practiced at home can get those dratted old things to come to them so quickly.”

“She’s got a gift,” Setsuna smiled. “Do you watch the first years every year?”

“For the past several consistently. That Potter boy’s convinced me that I can’t miss these classes – either they’re a disaster or I’m introduced to the next Viktor Krum.”

“He’s a good flyer,”

Minerva looked aghast at her. “Surely even in Japan they follow Quidditch.”

“Oh they do, I believe. But I’ve lived non-magically for quite a while. Now football,” she nodded towards the two Slytherins watching a ways off. “Haruka could tell you about Football.”

“I did play briefly in my youth,” Minerva said. “Before Hogwarts that is.” And she flicked her gaze back towards the first years who were now all, slowly, rising off the ground. Hotaru a bit shakey but no where near as awful as the Hufflepuff boy beside her – Setsuna winced as he got bucked from his broom down into the mud. “I haven’t had those two in my class yet, but I did hear from Filius that he hasn’t liked a single Slytherin nearly as much as them in years.”

“I have noticed some of them are more…disagreeable than others.”

Minerva pulled a face. “I admit that I may be a bit bias, some are alright but the house as a whole…” she trailed off. “It has a long history, from the past few generations of students especially, that is hasn’t yet shaken.”

Setsuna suddenly gasped as Hotaru shot twenty feet into the air, her hands fumbling for her Rowan and her henshin wands. Mcgonagall chuckled.

“Don’t worry – that was purposeful.” She said, pointing out the professor beaming up at Hotaru and clapping her hands. “Rolanda’s just giving the best students a chance to show off.”

Indeed, several more students shot up into the air as well, and Setsuna noted the identical and precise placement of their hands and feet indicating the intended movement. She didn’t loosen her grip on her wand, though she did smile as Hotaru began to make loops overhead.

“I think your seventh year students could use some reassurance,” Minerva said with a chuckle.

Across the grounds, Haruka and Michiru had shot to their feet, Michiru clutching to Haruka’s arm as the two of them stared stiffly up at Hotaru.

Setsuna smirked and sent a small stream of silver sparks in their direction, waving once she had their attention and pointed to Hotaru before making a gesture with her right hand that they’d designed specifically for battles when speaking was strategically disadvantageous. _She’s alright_. The gesture conveyed. And the two seventh years visibly relaxed, stowing their wands and settling down once more in the cool grass, Haruka picking up a book as Michiru settled across her lap.

“I hadn’t realized it was so accepted in Japan,” Minerva murmured. And Setsuna frowned at her, trying to puzzle out what exactly she meant. “They’re relationship, I mean.”

 _Oh._ She shook her head. She had always been perplexed that out of the myriad of social, ethical, and cultural issues that existed for humanity to debate about this was apparently so controversial. It had taken months for her to even notice the looks Michiru, Haruka, and even she herself got whenever they were out and about. And it still baffled her months after Haruka and Michiru had tried their best to explain society’s issue.

“It’s accepted enough that no one who matters cares.” Setsuna shrugged. “I didn’t realize that particular prejudice carried over to the Wix society.”

Minerva sighed. “Sadly it’s not so confusing next to some of the other pure-blooded dogma,” she said, her mouth in a grim, resigned line. “They won’t mind so much if a muggle-born or even half-blood witch or wizard’s involved mind you. But a pure-blood.” Setsuna followed her gaze, raising her eyebrow as she recognized the longing look Minerva directed towards the Flying Professor. But the other woman quickly averted her gaze when Rolanda glanced down towards them. “It’s a ridiculous set of social norms in my opinion.” Minerva said shaking her head. “To say nothing for the rest of their pure-blooded nonsense.”

“Does this relate to the war I keep hearing about?” Setsuna asked, keeping her eyes on Hotaru.

Minerva was quiet for quite a while afterwards before she sighed. “It’s truly amazing how little you or your students know – that blasted war’s taken up the majority of my adult life.”

“I don’t expect any stories,” Setsuna said. “I know better than you might think how hard that sort of thing is to discuss… but if it’s information I need to know for my students safety.”

“Oh of course I’ll tell you,” Minerva says with a dismissive wave of her hand. “But it’ll have to wait until tomorrow night. I have patrol duties this evening and besides,” she chuckled. “No one get’s war stories out of me unless there’s a damn good scotch involved.”

“I’ll drop by Thursday evening after dinner then,” Setsuna decided, Hotaru was drifting to a less frightening height now. Her eyes drifting towards Haruka and Michiru. It was as good a time as any to check in with them. She nodded to Mcgonagall as she stepped away towards her students. “Oh and Minerva,”

“Hmm?”

Setsuna grinned and gave Minerva a wink. “You should invite Rolanda along too.”

She was quite sure it was impossible for the stern Transfiguration professor to blush. But that said, her ears did turn an amusing shade of pink.

~ _SMH_ ~

The latter half of the week was starting to feel like a routine by the time Thursday’s lunchtime rolled around. But Hotaru was getting nervous, as were the other Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff first years. It had happened, by some cruel twist of fate, that they didn’t have their first Defence class until the last block of the afternoon on Thursday. And so it happened that they felt the most prepared of any of the students for Professor Umbridge and the most apprehensive as well. It was the first time since Sunday night that Hotaru vanished her glaive. “You won’t need it,” Ami and Luna had both promised her.

Professor Umbridge was already sitting at her desk when the first years filed in, and she waited silently as they arranged themselves at the desks, casting sidelong looks at all of them until they were settled.

Finally, at exactly the minute class was scheduled to begin, she gave a small cough and rose from her desk, clasped her hands infront of her and smiled warmly at the lot of them.

“Good Afternoon, Children.” She said.

“Good Afternoon, Professor Umbridge.” They replied in an uneven chorus. She’d expect that, they’d been told. And her resulting grin nearly split her face in two. It looked quite like a daimon’s, Hotaru decided.

“You’re going to be a lovely group, I can already tell – ahah.” She gave a strange giggle and gestured towards two of the Hufflepuffs in the first row. “What are your names?”

“R-rose Zeller,” the smallest girl in the first year class said.

“And Sean Murphy,” the boy piped up.

“Thank you, children I’m afraid you’ll need to adjust your seating.” She said with another giggle. “Boys and girls can’t be sitting next to eachother.

Both Rose and Sean blushed as many other students in the class snickered. Hotaru merely frowned, an expression that persisted on her face as Umbridge grinned down at the humiliated eleven year olds. _They’ve probably barely made friends yet and she’s picking on them for sitting together_? She gestured to Rose to take the seat next to her – the closest open space. Rose took it and smiled up at Hotaru as she arranged her bag under the desk.

Unfortunately though, that drew Umbridge’s attention down to her. “And you dear, you’re new to magic.”

“I’m new to Hogwarts,” Hotaru corrected.

“And your name is…”

“Hotaru Tomoe.” She said, meeting Umbridge’s pale, sharp eyes with her own impassive gaze. She could feel several of her classmates staring around her but paid them no mind as she raised her chin and held Umbridge’s gaze. She was not afraid of any pink-toad daimon.

She barely supressed her smirk when Umbridge broke their staring contest first, her eyes drifting to Hotaru’s bag while the saccharine grin remained plastered on her face. “I’ve seen you around the corridors a few times dear and I couldn’t help noticing, you don’t carry your wand.”

“I don’t have one.” Hotaru said, and whispers circulared among the Hufflepuffs who hadn’t been aware of that.

“Oh surely you do – no witch can attend Hogwarts without one.”

“I mean, I have something that’s like a wand.” Hotaru shrugged. “Mr. Ollivander said it was fine – and it’s worked well so far.”

“Ah yes, that spear.”

“Glaive,” Hotaru couldn’t help correcting her. She heard Rose stifle a laugh beside her.

“hmm.” Umbridge tutted. “And where is it.”

“I’ve put it away for now.” Hotaru said, folding both hands on her desk and giving Umbridge her best innocent look. “I heard we wouldn’t need to do spells in this class.”

“Oh you’re quite right, dear. But before we get to the lesson…” And she waved her wand once, frowned, and again. Hotaru flinched as it flicked towards her. Umbridge face wrinkled in further frustration and Hotaru heard her growl under her breath “ _Accio Glaive_.” And then a sharp tug in her gut, which she recognized as her magic being drawn on, as the Silence Glaive wrenched itself free of its storage in interdimensional space. The class gasped as the Silence Glaive jumped into existence at Hotaru’s side and promptly flew into Professor Umbridge’s chubby fingers.

“Hey!” Hotaru exclaimed, knocking her chair over as she stood up from her seat. “Give it back.”

“Ten points from Ravenclaw, dear. You should know better than to disrespect your professors.” Umbridge tutted, eyes examining the Glaive closely. “I simply can’t allow it – this is not a Ministry approved spell casting device – I shall hold on to it for the time being. You may have it back at the end of term.”

“But…it’s mine.” Hotaru sputtered. “I need it for spells.”

“I’m sure you have friends from whom you can borrow a wand until such a time as your guardian can purchase you a suitable one.” Umbridge smiled sweetly. “Ollivander’s wandshop is in the off season right now, it shouldn’t take too long.” And she waved her own stubby wand again, vanishing the Silence Glaive from her hands. Hotaru remained standing, glaring, until Professor Umbridge waved her wand again. Hotaru’s chair sprang up off the floor and righted itself, pushing into the desk behind her and knocking her off balance. She crashed into the wooden seat of the chair with a grunt.

Professor Umbridge then gave a third wave of her wand and their course books floated off of her desk, distributing themselves amongst the silent first years.

“Now, if you would all direct your attention to the board, we’ll go over our course objectives…”

~ _SMH_ ~

Harry Potter was having a miserable fourth night in detention as he carved _I must not tell lies_ into his hand for what must have been the millionth time. His penmanship was getting better, he noted darkly as he watched the cuts etch their way into the back of his hand.

Suddenly, the doors of Professor Umbridge’s office slammed open and the woman herself looked up from her tea with a stunned look on her face.

“You have some nerve.” The new Muggle Studies professor said as she stormed into the office, burgundy robes and long green hair billowing out behind her. She looked absolutely terrifying, Harry decided. More so even than Professor Mcgonagall. He looked back down towards his lines and glanced at Umbridge, noting with satisfaction that she had gone slightly pale.

“Excuse me, dear.” Umbridge tutted. “I’m not the one barging into a respected faculty member’s office without so much as advance notice.

“Advance notice.” Professor Meioh scoffed. “You didn’t need any advance notice when you confiscated my student’s wand.”

“I did no such think – oh,” Professor Umbridge gave a nervous giggle. “You mean that deadly weapon.”

“A wand is just as deadly as that Glaive in the correct circumstances,” The professor retorted. “And as she told you in class – she does not own one of your wands. Her Glaive is, for all intents and purposes, her wand.”

“Hogwarts stipulates that each student has a wand.” Umbridge continued.

“It doesn’t specify what counts as a wand.” Professor Meioh countered. She got five points for that, Harry decided, imagining a big, football scoreboard in his head.

“It isn’t a ministry approved spell casting device.” Umbridge said, raising her voice above the other professors. “I’ve had to confiscate it.”

“I’m her guardian while she’s hear, if It needs to be confiscated it’s my right to keep it. I demand you relinquish it.”

Umbridge tutted. Harry imagined she was trying to determine some way to give Professor Meioh detention. “I’m afraid that isn’t possible dear. Now, kindly remove yourself from my office. You’re disrupting the disciplining of my students.”

And as if just noticing he was there, Professor Meioh jerked her head down towards his seat, her eyes widened as she took in the blood-ink on the parchment and the cuts across his hand.

“You may submit a formal request to have the weapon released into your custody to the ministry office of Education and Underaged Magic.” Umbridge continued. “The office is open between 9:00 and 17:00 on Monday through Thursday,” And she waved her wand, the doors of her office slamming open again with a bang. “Goodnight, Professor Meioh.”

“This is what you consider good discipline,” Professor Meioh whispered, fury laced through her too-quiet tone. “For _children_.”

“I asked you to leave.” Umbridge insisted, her usual smile twisting into an ugly scowl.

“The Headmaster will hear about this.” The Muggle Studies professor swore as she stormed once more out of the office.

Umbridge gave a small “ _hem hem_ ” and resettled herself in her plush desk chair, picking up her tea once more. “Carry on, Mr. Potter.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Dumbledore, as it turned out, could do nothing, much to Setsuna’s displeasure. And though Minerva and Rolanda Hooch’s rage at discovering Umbridge’s method of detention validated her own feelings, there was still nothing they could do to put a stop to her practices. The ministry appointed professor, it seemed, had special powers at Hogwarts. And, Minerva hinted, those could be subject to expand. “Depends on if we behave.” She’d remarked with a scowl.

The night itself was uneventful after that, save for one more event. As Hotaru prepared for bed in the first year dorm, a cool breeze blew through the room, though all the windows were shut tight. She heard something clatter on the floor on the other side of her bed and rushed around as her roommates all gathered close to see. They gasped when she rose, picking up the Silence Glaive.

“How did you do that,” Lauren Babbage murmured.

“ _I_ didn’t.” Hotaru insisted, banishing the Glaive at once. “It just comes to me.”

“Umbridge isn’t gonna like this,” Ida Keelan whispered from her own bed beside Hotaru’s.

Indeed, Hotaru thought, she wasn’t going to like it at all.

~ _SMH_ ~

They unfortunately had Defence first thing in Friday morning, and Hotaru knew it would be bad – Umbridge had glared at her all through breakfast. The toad-like Defence Professor marched through the doors of the classroom just after all the first years had gotten settled at their desks. “ _Accio Glaive_.” She said as she passed Hotaru. And Hotaru felt the tell tail tug on her magic as the Glaive once again appeared out of thin air and shot straight into Umbridge’s grasping hands.   
“Detention, Miss. Tomoe.” The woman declared with a grin split across her squished face. “My office after dinner.”

She didn’t say anything, simply met Umbridge’s gaze with a cold glare as she took out her textbook and turned to the page they’d left off on the previous day.

~ _SMH_ ~

            The scouts – and her parental figures in particular – were livid upon finding out she’d gotten detention. Setsuna herself nearly had to be restrained when it was brought to her attention after lunch. But there was no getting out of it, Hotaru said with a resigned shrug.

            She arrived for detention exactly on time, ushered to the door by Haruka and Michiru who glanced warily into the overly-pink office.

            “You shouldn’t stay,” Hotaru said. “She’ll give you detention too.”

            “Detention doesn’t scare me, kiddo.” Haruka said with a dismissive wave.

            “Well it doesn’t scare me either.” Hotaru declared. “Besides…we can get her back later.”

            “oh trust me,” Michiru said with a devilish smirk. “We’re already planning.” And she and Haruka both leaned in to hug Hotaru before the tall eleven year old pulled away, squared her shoulders, and stepped through the slightly open office door.

“You’re late, dear,” they heard Professor Umbridge say inside. “Close the door.”

Hotaru did, taking note of the only other person in detention – a Gryffindor boy with messy black hair and startling green eyes. She sat in the wooden chair beside his at Umbridge’s large desk.

“No talking,” the woman tutted as a strange looking quill and piece of parchment floated down in front of each of them. The boy glanced between Hotaru and Umbridge in fury. “She’s just eleven!”

“Your cheek is not appreciated, Mr. Potter.” She said, gesturing towards the quill and parchment. “Go on.”

Potter continued to glare towards the woman as he picked up the quill and set it to paper. Red ink flowing from the tip on its own. Umbridge gestured towards Hotaru. “Lines please, Miss. Tomoe. You’re to write ‘I must not steal.’ I’ll decide when you’ve written enough.” Hotaru shivered as she met Umbridge delighted gaze with her own glare and picked up the self-inking quill, putting it to parchment.

 _I must not steal_. She scratched into the paper, noticing the uncomfortable scrapping against the back of her hand.

She didn’t flinch though, even as she realized with sickening clarity exactly what ink was being traced across the parchment. Youma had done far worse to her than this. And she’d done far worse to them.

That wasn’t to say it didn’t hurt though, particularly after nearly forty minutes repeating the same lines over and over. Not to mention her hand had also begin to cramp from writing for so long.

Finally, “that will be enough for tonight, both of you.” Umbridge said, vanishing the parchment and quills – and all trace of their punishment – with a wave of her wand.

“Are you alright,” Potter asked as they exited the class room.

“I’m fine, here, give me your hand.” Hotaru said, examining his. Potter’s hand was much worse than hers – the cuts digging nearly down to the bone. “Have you had to do this a lot then?”

“Five days now, look it’s fine,” he said attempting to tug away. But she held fast to his hand.

“Give me a second,” Hotaru said and closed her eyes.

Potter gasped as a soft purple light enveloped her hand and his own, and stared as the skin, and muscle began to knit back together until there wasn’t even a scar left over. All that remained was the dried blood across the back of his hand which the first year girl swiftly scrubbed away with a hankerchief. She then repeated the healing on her own hand.

“How did you do that,” he stammered.

She shrugged, looking at the floor. “I’ve always been able too. Sorry if it’s weird.”

“Are, are you kidding?” the boy laughed, clasping her on the shoulder. “That’s brilliant. Side’s everyone’s a bit weird. I mean…I can talk to snakes.”

“Are they friendly?” she asked and he blinked, appearing perplexed by her response.

“Most of em, yeah.” He said with another laugh. He held out his hand. “I’m Harry, Harry Potter.”

“Hotaru Tomoe.” She said, returning the handshake. And as she did she got a good feeling for the magical energy around the boy and frowned. It was light, and dark, and quite a bit more conflicted than the boy appeared. And all of it centered around the strange scar on his forehead. It looked like a lightning bolt.

Harry Potter, she decided, could be interesting.

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good_ ~

 


	5. Armies and Alliances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Scouts and Students conflicts with Umbridge intensify as September bleeds into October,

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect to see some of these scenes get more detailed once I have access to my copy of OOTP again. I will definitely try to fill in the canon related scenes more once I remember exactly what happened in them...

**Armies and Alliances**

The end of the first week of classes saw the majority of Hogwarts student populace out of doors for first Quidditch practices, try outs, and precious time out in the sun while there was still little homework to restrict them and while temperatures were not yet low enough to dissuade them.

It was also the first time since arriving that all nine of the senshi were able to meet after breakfast. Setsuna beckoned to them from the doors of the Great Hall and all of them walked together – those not in her class for the first time – across the courtyard and up to the tower room where Setsuna's class and office resided.

The entire walk over, they'd remained focused on the trivial conversations of breakfast: the on-going first Quidditch try outs and practices, the content of their first week's classes, and the friends most of them were making within their houses. All the while though, the eight older scouts kept an eye on Hotaru, who held her left hand clasped in her right, with the end of her long sleeve draped over it, hiding it from view.

When at last they were behind the safely locked doors of Setsuna's classroom they gathered around the youngest senshi. Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna all knelt down at Hotaru's level as Setsuna held out her hand to Hotaru.

The first year sighed and offered up her left hand. "It doesn't hurt, I swear," she said as Setsuna took her hand and turned it so that they could all see the back.

Haruka swore, Michiru's fists clenched, and Setsuna's face took on a look of cold rage as they examined the fresh scar across the back of Hotaru's hand. It was faint and pink. Clearly she had healed it well, but that hardly mattered. _I must not steal_ was still carved across the back of their daughter's hand.

"I am going to kill her," Michiru stated in an even voice.

"You may not get a chance to," Setsuna said quietly. "How long did she have you write lines?" she asked Hotaru.

The youngest senshi shrugged. "A while, she let us both go around curfew, I guess."

"That has to exceed appropriate punishment!" Ami blurted out. "The rules say detention should only last two hours at most!"

"She seems to have her own set of rules," Rei remarked, hopping up on one of the desks. "Potter's come back to the dorm every night this week with worse. Well, except for yesterday."

"I healed him too." Hotaru confirmed. "He's really had detention all week?"

"Since the first class," Minako confirmed. "I got Hermione alone yesterday to ask about it – finally. Apparently Umbridge is part of some huge cover up to hide the fact that some Dark wizard's on the loose again, and that Harry's done more to combat him than the ministry. Dunno why they're pretending he doesn't exist."

"If this is Voldemort," Ami piped up, "then possibly because Harry's supposed to have defeated him ages ago – there's a whole book about the war with him in the Ravenclaw library. Tons of student signatures as well – all expressing their thanks to Harry for saving them."

"That's mostly right." Setsuna sighed, leaning against her own desk in the front of the room. "Minerva filled me in earlier this week as well. Most of it shouldn't concern us here, but in case the current situation escalates, you should be aware of what happened."

Setsuna spoke for quite a while on the topic of the "Great Wizarding War" as it was called, and of the dark wizard who'd orchestrated it all.

Once she had finished, the room was silent for a while, as they mulled over the turbulent conflict seemingly growing up in Wix society once again, and their average classmate with his smart mouth and wild black hair seemingly in the center of it all.

"That's…" Mina finally said "so awful."

"And now he has Umbridge being horrid to him for no reason," Rei fumed, crossing her arms, her wand gripped tightly in her right hand. "This ministry has some nerve."

"Uh… Rei," Makoto said, drawing her own oak wand and pointing to it.

"What?" Rei snapped and then registered the smell of smoke. She jumped and looked at her cherry wand – a small flame having burst forth from the end. She shook it in the air frantically until it went out. "It keeps doing that," she muttered. "Are anyone else's acting up?"

Most of them shook their heads, but Haruka hesitated. "Actually… mine did, in defence class the other day. I was trying really hard not to give Umbitch a good punch in the face."

"Language," Setsuna and Michiru chorused together while Hotaru giggled.

Haruka rolled her eyes. "Sorry, anyways she was being absolutely patronizing about the boy who got murdered last year – and seemed like she was doing it intentionally to upset the Hufflepuffs in our class – I was ready to stand up and set World Shaking at her but…then the wind picked up."

"In the middle of the classroom," Michiru added. "It wasn't a draft bursting in from the windows, though that's what the Professor blamed it on."

"Yeah but the windows stayed shut – I swear the wind burst out of my wand." She said, examining the seemingly ordinary fir instrument.

"Hmm…" Setsuna thought. "And in Diagon Alley, Rei you said you lost control of your attack?"

"That's right…so it's not just our Sailor magic that works differently here?"

"Young wix experience bursts of 'accidental magic' while upset," Ami piped up. "It's possible your powers are escaping through your wands in much the same way."

"I'm inclined to agree with that theory." Setsuna said. "And I've been in touch with Luna and Artemis all week. They're insisted we continue practicing our powers as well as the Wix' magic while we're here. I believe, with enough practice, we'll be able to get both of them more in sync and these outbursts will stop."

"Does that mean we could use our powers without transforming?" Michiru wondered.

"Or even incorporate wix magic into our senshi fighting?" Haruka wondered.

"Both are worth investigating," Setsuna said. "Have either of you tried using your talismans here?"

"A few times," Michiru stated. "But I can't seem to get the Aqua mirror to work.

"Have you tried it with a spell?" Ami asked. "I mean…if we're meant to try using both kinds of magic in sync…maybe that's a way to get yours and Rei's – and Setsuna's Sight to work."

"None of their divination is going to help any of us see the future," Rei scoffed. "Trelawney is a quack."

"I'm inclined to agree," Michiru said, herself thoroughly bored with the NEWT class. "Still…I could try." They'd started the first class with a review of Catoptromancy after all – the Wix study of future gazing through mirrors. Most of what the professor herself had reviewed seemed like rubbish, but Michiru supposed it couldn't hurt to try some of their textbook's instructions.

She pulled the hazel wood wand from her belt and tapped it twice against the Aqua Mirror. " _Ostendis Periculis,_ " she stated clearly. Immediately a blue glow overtook the mirror, reflected in Michiru's eyes as she drew the mirror closer. Her face slipped into a blank expression. Her wand arm fell to her side. Haruka darted forwards to catch her hand before the hazel wand could slip from her fingers. She held Michiru by the shoulders lest she lose her balance. Michiru barely seemed to notice, gaze lost in the now active mirror. The scouts leaned in, eager to see what would come of the experiment.

" _Check the door_ ," Michiru rasped, the hoarseness of her voice startled them. Makoto jumped up, starting towards the exit of the classroom. " _Wait_!" Michiru cautioned. " _Just Setsuna_."

Setsuna nodded to them all, sliding her rowan wand into her hand as her fellow senshi too drew their own wands – some their wix instruments and others their henshins into their hands.

She glanced back at them, noting that all the senshi had gathered into an easily defensible arc around Michiru and Haruka, before yanking open one of the heavy wooden doors.

" _Hem hem,"_ the figure in the doorway coughed as she was discovered, following it up with a girlish giggle.

 _Of course_ , Setsuna said, glaring down at the stout defence professor. "Dolores," she said coolly.

"Now, now," she giggled. "I think it's only professional to remain respectful of our titles. It's Professor Umbridge, dear."

"Hmm." Setsuna said, blocking the entrance to her classroom. "You were spying on my students and I."

"Oh you're funny dear." Umbridge giggled again, dismissing Setsuna with a wave of her stubby hand. "What a horrid accusation that would be." She cleared her throat again with another annoying cough. "No, I simply had something I wished to discuss with you but didn't want to interrupt…whatever this is."

"I'm checking in on my students," Setsuna said smoothly. "It can be quite stressful you know – the first week at a new school – especially in a new country."

"Quite, though they have their heads of house for all matters concerning student well being. And the ministry is certainly interested in how they're getting on with Hogwarts course work."

"They're adjusting well, though I fail to see how that's the ministry's concern." Setsuna says. "I'd like to get on with our meeting though. What did you come here for?"

"Oh I'm going around to all the professors. You see – " Umbridge said as she tapped her wand in the air. A sealed pink envelope appeared in the air in a noxious puff of perfume. Setsuna sneezed as she snatched it. "My status at Hogwarts has been elevated – as the papers will be announcing tomorrow. But I wanted to ensure the faculty had advance notice."

"How generous of you." Setsuna remarked cooly as she opened the envelope. Equally pink parchment inside declared in obnoxious purple, glittering ink _Notice of Inspection_ followed by a class and date – two weeks away. She raised an eyebrow at the stout professor whose face appeared split in half by a wicked grin. "I expect that you'll appear early for the class," Setsuna remarked. "No need to distract the students anymore from their work than necessary."

Umbridge's grin slipped. Clearly she had hoped for a different reaction. "Oh I'll be there exactly at the start of the hour," she informed Setsuna.

"Wonderful, if you need to deliver more, I believe Filius and Minerva are holding their office hours right now." And she stowed the letter in the pocket of her robes, barring the doorway as she waited.

Umbridge gave a small huff. "Well…while I'm here there is one more matter. That infernal weapon,"

"The glaive," Setsuna corrected her.

"Has been pilfered from my possessions for the second night this week. Despite increased security. It was certainly," she said sweetly, the slightest shake in her voice belying her rage. "Higher security than any student could crack – certainly not a first year."

"Hm…" Setsuna shrugged. "I'm certain I don't know anything about that. But Hotaru doesn't have it in her possession either."

"Oh, but I know her type dear. She could be lying to you."

"She doesn't," Setsuna said plainly, her face betraying no hint of deceit. "Now I really must get back to my meeting." She said, stepping back through the door. "Good day, Dolores." And she turned back towards her friends and family, shutting the door in the other woman's face.

The moment she had, she clenched her fists and they saw the rowan wand in her hand let out a stream of black sparks that burnt small holes into the wood of the door and the floor. She raised it and pointed it towards the door. "Muffliato," she whispered. Immediately a faint buzzing sprung up at the perimeter of the room, masking their conversation. "Is she gone, Michiru?"

" _She'll stew another five minutes before stalking off_ ," Michiru's voice announced, her gaze still lost in the mirror. " _And_ …" but her voice trailed off.

"Gazing into the mirror doesn't normally leave her like this," Haruka worried.

"I've only been able to use my Sight a few times here," Setsuna said. "But each time the visions have been more intense than they normally are. I suspect it will be so until I regain full control of it."

"I haven't had any yet." Rei said. "No dreams or anything."

"Well you also haven't been staring into any fires." Minako pointed out. "Maybe you can try it in the common room tonight."

"Hmm," Rei said. "Fine but you and Usagi keep watch."

"Would the Gryffindor's really be suspicious of something?" Makoto asked.

"Nuh uh," Usagi said. "They're all really cool…well maybe the Weasleys would be curious."

"It's more our roommates," Minako said with a sigh. "Pavarti and Lavender are mad about Divination. If they catch Rei using the fire they'll demand she teach them."

"And Hermione'd ask questions," Rei added.

"What!" Usagi gasped. "No, no. Hermione's cool. And she's really nice. She practically wrote my essay for me yesterday!"

"Cause you kept crying about it!" Rei snapped.

"The quill was giving me blisters," Usagi whined. "Anyways, she wrote Ron's too."

"Cause she fancies him…" Minako chuckled.

"If we could get back on topic," Ami jumped in, "So… should we all try to find ways to practice our powers here."

"It would be wise," Setsuna said, looking down at Hotaru who was watching Michiru, having said barely a word since they'd arrived at the classroom. "And as for your glaive…"

"I don't know why she could take it," Hotaru said. "I mean, it keeps coming back…but could she disarm me as Saturn too?"

"That's something I'm concerned about too," Haruka added. "What good's the space sword if it can just be jerked out of my hand?"

"It's something else we'll have to look into," Setsuna agreed.

"In the meantime," Ami added. "Perhaps I could find a charm that could block her from summoning it again. There seems to be a counter-charm for just about everything. If we use several, it'll be much harder for her to find a summoning spell that works."

" _Ravenclaw Library,"_ Michiru gasped, and her head jerked up as the light in the mirror finally faded. She straightened up in Haruka's arms and cleared her throat. "Have you had much time to browse through it, Ami."

"Nearly every day this week," Ami confirmed. "But it's so extensive. It would take forever to cover it all."

"We should have a few of us help you," Michiru said. "It appears we may find the key to Mamoru's identity within it."

Usagi let out a small gasp as all eyes in the room turned to her. "Really!"

"I can help Ami," Hotaru said.

"We all can." Makoto decided. "Hey Usagi, maybe we'll even get this cleared up by Christmas."

"That would be wonderful," Usagi said. "I have a few ideas who he might be." And she launched into a lengthy speech about the many students she'd considered to have "Mamoru-like" qualities over the past week, with ample commentary and additions from Minako and Makoto.

The meeting carried on from there, discussing the prince, their classes, and further complaints about Umbridge, all under the protective shielding of Setsuna's muffling charm.

Outside the classroom, a flesh coloured string pulled away from the door and down the hall, disappearing under the bottom of a closet door as one ginger haired boy wound it back into a ball in defeat.

"Damnit Umbridge," His twin complained. "It took forever to get the translation charm working."

"So much effort wasted," the other agreed, looking mournfully at the perfected Extendible Ear. "Perhaps we'll get another go later, what'dya say Gred?"

"I would absolutely agree, Forge." He grinned, holding out a hand for a high five. "We did glean some interesting tid-bits from the first bit."

"Sure did…I'd like to know what Sailor magic is…"

~ _SMH_ ~

Just as Umbridge had said, the Sunday morning paper broke the announcement of her new position and spread confusion and disbelief rippling across the house tables as everyone scrambled to get a look at the _Daily Prophet_.

"What does High Inquisitor even mean?" Makoto complained to Ami as she leaned over her shoulder at the Ravenclaw table to read the paper with her.

"It means we can expect to see her interfering outside defence class a whole lot more," Ami said, adjusting her reading glasses as she scanned through the article. "I wonder how the more established professors will react…it says here they're all getting reviewed.

"Weird, hey, but maybe that means Binns will be gone," Makoto said brightly.

Several Ravenclaws, especially in the upper years, turned to glare at the intruding Hufflepuff, but Makoto shrugged. "What? He can't teach."

"He's an exceptional primary resource to have," Ami said, glancing around her table trying to placate her peers. "Though I'm sure his subject requires more concentration given that it's done in a lecture format."

"Didn't you say you fell asleep in his class?" Makoto smirked.

"I…uh, I have never fallen asleep in any class," Ami huffed though she was blushing. "I have no recollection of this."

"What professor Binns needs," Luna Lovegood announced loudly from across the table. "Is a different room." At several blank looks Luna cheerfully elaborated. "All the decorations are iron – even those old bolts in the doors and windows. I mean iron's quite bad for ghosts. It confuses them. It's no wonder he's not more lively."

"Pretty sure he's not lively cause he's dead, Lovegood," a sixth year down the table snapped, prompting many laughs.

Luna appeared content to ignore them, glancing down towards her open copy of _The Quibbler_.

Hotaru, Ami, and Makoto though glared at the sixth year. Hotaru then leaned into Luna and whispered. "I believe you." And while it could be said that Luna Lovegood often wore a dreamy smile, no one had ever seen the grin that lit up her face at that comment.

"Oh, by the way," Makoto said, "Are you free to come down to the Quidditch pitch this afternoon?"

"I believe so. I have a few books I've checked out of the library, I could take them along to research. Why?" Ami asked. "Are you watching your mentor there run practice?"

"Better!" Makoto grinned, propping one hand against her hip and brushing her ponytail behind her with the other. "I've been asked to try out."

"You're gonna play!" Hotaru gasped as Ami congratulated Makoto.

"Hope so," Makoto said. "Stebbins, well he thinks I'd be really good at it." She glanced back towards her own House table and scratched the back of her neck. "But I was uh…kind of hoping I'd have someone there for like moral support. See…I haven't actually flown yet. And I know most of my housemates are pretty chill…but I don't want to embarrass myself alone."

"You'd never embarrass yourself," Ami said, "But of course I'll – I mean we can both go down and watch."

"Definitely!" Hotaru cheered. "Luna could come too."

"Quidditch is quite fascinating," Luna said. "I wouldn't use the school brooms if you can help it though – most of them have nargle infestations in the bristles…"

~ _SMH_ ~

Hufflepuff practice Monday evening was a refreshing break for many of the scouts – all save for Haruka and Michiru wound up attending. By the end of it, Makoto had received a thunderous applause for blocking all five Quaffle shots from the Hufflepuff chasers – including one that she knocked through the opposite hoops with the handle of the broom. She swore up and down she'd never flown before though not even Stebbins believed her.

As classes entered the second week the workload seemed to pile on: essay, after essay, after essay being assigned, not to mention the many readings, dream diaries, and star charts that needed to be done as well. On top of that, the second week of defence was even more tedious than the first. Of the nine scouts, only Michiru and Haruka remained in Umbridge's good graces – thanks mostly to Michiru's profuse and seemingly genuine apologies for the behaviour of Hotaru and the transfers' staff advisor.

"How did you keep a straight face?" Haruka muttered afterwards as they made their way to Setsuna's class.

"It will be that much sweeter to get revenge later if we can keep her favour now," Michiru said. "But if you must know, I was thinking of a delightful hex I learned the other day that would suit her nicely."

For the other senshi, lessons with Umbridge only got worse. After spending half of a class period attempting (and failing) to summon the Silence Glaive that Thursday afternoon, Umbridge assigned Hotaru another week's detention. She hinted at many more. "Until the stolen item has been returned to me."

When Hotaru arrived after dinner, she and Harry Potter weren't alone. In fact, Umbridge's detention now held fifteen students – most of them Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Even Makoto and Ami had wound up writing lines. _I must not promote discord_ for Makoto and _I must not use physical violence_ for Ami.

"I told the class they had every right to be pissed off about how she was talking about Cedric," Makoto said with a bit of pride afterwards as Hotaru healed her hand.

"I punched my desk and she found it threatening," Ami remarked dryly, rubbing her healed hand once Hotaru released it. "Thank you."

"No problem," Hotaru said, before moving on to the next student – this one a first year boy from Gryffindor. "Hey, it's okay…"

By the third week of September, all the fifth year scouts wound up in detention with Umbridge at least twice a week – and Harry Potter and Hotaru Tomoe had become nightly features in the detentions. Hotaru healed every student that came through the doors, even as the number of students in detention swelled from fifteen to fifty.

Setsuna caught her around the shoulders one day at the end of September and pulled her aside into an unused classroom, concern in every crease of her face. "Flitwick tells me you fell asleep in Charms," she said, placing a hand on Hotaru's forehead to check her temperature.

"I'm fine Mama," Hotaru insisted, though her statement was ruined by the yawn that broke out in the middle of it. "I just had a big essay I stayed up writing."

"For which professor," Setsuna frowned.

"Uh…Mcgonagall."

~ _SMH_ ~

"I haven't assigned the first years an essay yet," Minerva insisted during the professor's semi-regular drink night Thursday evening. "Plenty of readings yes – but I've never had a Ravenclaw have difficulty with those," she said, taking another hearty swig of firewhiskey. "Perhaps the girl has me confused with another professor."

"To my knowledge no one else has assigned the first years essays this week either," Flitwick piped up from his spot near the hearth. And around the room the other heads of houses, as well the astronomy professor Sinistra, and Rolanda Hooch all nodded their confirmation.

"She's been a mess at flying practice too." Rolanda added. "Finally got the rest of her class to quit knocking into each other and then I have her nearly flying herself into a tree – she didn't!" Rolanda is quick to assure Setsuna. "But she's definitely more tired."

"Has she really been healing all the students in the Defence detentions?" Pomona Sprout wondered. "I had Poppy check several of my students and they're all healed – she said she couldn't have done it better."

Setsuna nodded. "She has extraordinary abilities."

"It's likely only making Dolores angrier," the normally quiet professor Severus Snape interjected from the far side of their circle. He rarely elected to join their social gatherings. Tonight, in fact, was the first time Setsuna'd heard him speak. Beside her, Minerva nodded, her mouth in a grim line.

Hotaru herself would say that Snape's observation was true. Indeed, even Harry Potter would have reluctantly agreed. In every defence class, Umbridge would loom close over the shoulders of those students who found themselves in her detentions, eyes trained on their wand hands. And she would give a small "hem, hem" of displeasure and a slight frown as she passed by, dark beady eyes narrowing in barely contained fury at the neat, barely visible scars.

She tired of giving Hotaru detentions as regularly as September drew to a close, though the Silence Glaive was no closer to her possession than before – particularly not as Ami and Setsuna continued to find and apply more protective charms to it. Yet, as October and the first frost set in, Hotaru began finding other ways to wind up in Umbridge's nightly torture sessions. First for _I must not make messes_ when she intentionally knocked over an ink well, and later for things like. _I must not swear_ , and _I must not ask questions_ (the last one that was sure to work when all else failed. Nothing seemed to enrage Umbridge quite like questions…well, nothing except Harry Potter).

"You're doing this on purpose." He accused her one night as he followed her from student to student, watching as she healed each and every one.

Hotaru shrugged as she blinked away the persistent exhaustion that seemed to follow her everywhere, letting the hand of student 72 fall from her clammy grasp. "I wouldn't have an excuse to be here otherwise," she said, shaking her head to clear it. Surely the spots in her vision were only the candle light. The next student in the crowd shoved their hand towards her and she took it without looking. Harry glared at the boy – a scrawny looking Hufflepuff. "Thanks would be appreciated," he told the rude student as the healing glow faded from Hotaru's hands.

"I was gonna say than – woah watch it!" The boy shouted as Hotaru suddenly pitched towards him, knees buckling beneath her. Harry himself was lucky to be so close, catching the tiny first year around the waist before she could hit the floor. He ignored the gasps and starry eyed looks from many of the other teens in the crowd as he swung the unconscious girl up into his arms. "Someone go get the transfer advisor." He snapped, directing his gaze at the rude Hufflepuff boy. "You!" and said student nodded frantically as he scurried off. "And uh, maybe her head of house." Harry realized as an after thought.

"I know where Flitwick's office is," Luna Lovegood said. "I'll be back in a jiffy."

"Oi!" Fred or George Weasley announced as the broke up the crowd, many of whom were still staring at Harry. "Move along, don't want to be breaking curfew do you?" they told the other students.

"How's about we escort you and your girlfriend to the Hospital, Harrykins?" one of the twins grinned.

"Wouldn't want anyone,"

"Spreading ickle rumors is all."

"Knock it off you two," Ginny said as she elbowed her way between her brothers. "Don't listen to them Harry." She said as she leaned in and checked Hotaru's temperature. "Gosh she's clammy. We should get her to Pomphrey fast."

"This way," Harry said. All to familiar with the fastest route to the Hospital Wing by now. "And she's _not_ my girlfriend." He complained to Fred and George as the three Weasleys escorted he and Hotaru down the hall.

Before long, the Hospital Wing was crowded with more visitors than patients, many of those in detention having spread the news to their housemates and prompted well wishers to rush down to Hotaru's side. Many were others who'd been healed by her in other detentions. Some wanted confirmation of how chivalrous the Boy-Who-Lived had acted around the new girl. And still more, namely Hermione, Neville, and Ron, came in support of Harry. Minako, Rei, and Usagi arrived with them, all gathering anxiously at the foot of Hotaru's bed.

"Give her some space please," Hermione insisted as she, Ron, and several others pushed the mass of students away, even Poppy Pomphrey's sternest look doing little to dissuade the onlookers.

"She's exactly right." Poppy insisted, more focused on her patient than the curious students. "And all of you will have detention scrubbing bedpans in here if you don't give us some spa –"

" _MOVE_!" the frantic command echoed across the Hospital Wing and sent many of the students scrambling out of the way. A good number even rushed completely out of the room as the billowing green hair and burgundy robes of the Muggle Studies professor dashed across the tiled floor straight to the small first-year's Hospital bed. The remaining students watched, wide-eyed as the imposing Professor knelt at Hotaru's bedside and brushed the black hair away from her face, clasping her hand as she checked the young girl's pulse.

"She's perfectly fine," Pomfrey assured the upset young professor. "Just needs her rest."

Setsuna sighs. "Of course she does," she glanced around at the other students. "did she heal all of you?"

"More than us," the boy she recognized as Harry Potter said. Just then the doors of the Hospital Wing slammed open again and two older Slytherins sprinted into the room.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Pomfrey fumed, "This is a Hospital – not a Quidditch Pitch – out, out, all of you." The lingering curiosity seekers left, but the new arrivals carried on, running straight past Pomfrey and up to Hotaru's bedside, standing to either side of Setsuna. Haruka and Michiru both leaned in and wrapped an arm around Setsuna's shoulders and each placed a hand over her own where she still clasped Hotaru's.

"I, never." Pomfrey blustered. "Weasley – Weasleys!" she amended, seeking out easier people to banish from her Wing. "Granger, Longbottom, P-Potter!" she said. "Out – all of you. Don't come back unless you're actually injured." The Gryffindors all nodded frantically, turning to leave.

As Harry and the others left though, Hotaru stirred, her head rustling as she turned towards her guardians. "Mamas…Papa."

It seemed as if everyone in the Hospital Wing froze, the three Gryffindor transfer students gazes fell on Harry and his friends – all of whom had been close enough to hear Hotaru's whisper. For their part, the two Slytherin seventh years and the young Muggle Studies Professor did not glance up at all, the three of them, leaning closer to Hotaru, assuring her that they were there.

"You can't seem to stay out of mischief, can you." They heard Haruka tease.

Pomfrey was the first to come back to herself, shrugging off this new revelation about her patient's family ties. She glared at the Gryffindors. "Go on, shoo." She said firmly. "And the three of you head off as well," she directed at Usagi, Minako, and Rei. "Honestly, how's any patient supposed to get well with so many of you gawking at them?"

"Could we stay a while longer," Michiru asked.

Pomfrey sighed. "If you're caught out after curfew it won't be my fault – but for Merlin's sake be quiet!"

"Why's she yelling at you?" Hotaru whispered, and Setsuna smiled at her.

"Cause we're keeping you from resting. Go back to sleep, Little one." Setsuna told her. "We'll have plenty of lectures for you tomorrow."

"Kay," Hotaru said, drifting back to sleep once more.

"Magical exhaustion," Pomfrey whispered. "Nothing more, I can release her at breakfast tomorrow." She glanced around the room. "There's plenty of spare beds here. I'll inform Professor Snape you were here for a bad bout of flu or some such." And she left before the three of them could thank her.

Setsuna sighed and looked up at her two companions. "Do you think what she said will get out."

Haruka nodded, looking out the window and plopping down in the single chair beside Hotaru's bed. "The Weasley twins know – it'll be around the whole school by after breakfast."

"Perhaps for the best," Michiru said. "She's already slipped a couple times with me."

Setsuna nods "Dolores won't be as favourable towards the two of you."

"I don't know about that," Michiru said. "I could drop a few hints that Hotaru's overly attached or spreading rumors. She'd believe me." Michiru pulled a face. "Not sure I'd like to though."

"We'll ask Hotaru what she'd rather we do in the morning." Haruka decided. And the three of them lapsed into silence as the watched Hotaru, who looked unnaturally pale in the moonlight streaming in from the tall windows.

"We should have kept a closer eye on her," Michiru murmured after some time.

"We will," Setsuna said. "Next time we will."

~ _SMH_ ~

They were, indeed, the talk of the school by morning. It had spread to the younger Gryffindors first after Lee Jordan had exclaimed about it a little too loudly the night before. And despite the collective efforts of the Gryffindor prefects, Harry Potter, and an unusually contrite Fred and George Weasley, the rumor broke out into the Ravenclaws on the way down to breakfast, and had spread across the Great Hall by the time the eggs had appeared on the tables. The sight of Setsuna, Michiru, and Haruka ushering Hotaru into the Great Hall only spurred the rumors further.

Hotaru Tomoe had three moms. _Two were students_.

And she was dating Harry Potter.

"I didn't make her swoon!" Harry insisted as angrily to Pavarti. "She fainted – and I caught her."

"Don't bother mate – it's just making you look more guilty." Ron advised through his third helping of hash browns. "But maybe this'll make the other girls start looking at you."

"Don't listen to Ron," Hermione said. "Honestly they're all idiots for believing it anyways."

Harry grumbled. "And that Hufflepuff kid last night was being a prick as well – shoving his hand at her like it's her job to heal him."

"He really did that!" Usagi exclaimed down the table! "Ugh! Rude."

"What do you suppose they're going to do now though," Rei worried as she gazed into her tea. "I mean…I doubt they'll let Hotaru keep healing people if she's exhausting herself – I mean there's just too many students."

"About that!" Ami announced as she rushed up to the table with Makoto and Neville. "We think we have a solution!" and she passed a book over to Hermione, having bookmarked the appropriate page.

"Essense of Dittany!" Hermione exclaimed, slapping a hand over her forehead. "Why didn't I think of that – of course."

"I was going to talk to Professor Sprout after breakfast," Neville said. "Dittany's easy enough to get but if we want to keep up what Hotaru's been doing we need a lot." He blushed. "She likes me well enough, I thought I could convince her to give us space in a greenhouse."

"But how would we get the space to brew that much of the potion?" Hermione worried.

"Could always spend more quality time with Myrtle." Ron suggested.

"Or I could talk to Professor Snape!" Makoto said. And every head in the vicinity – even at the other tables – turned to stare at her. "What!" She exclaimed, scratching the back of her neck as she shrugged. "He's strict, sure, but he's said I'm his best student."

"Blimey…the git can give a compliment," Ron muttered. "I mean great – Hermione's brilliant at potions, she could help."

"I mean Dittany's easy enough to make," Hermione said blushing. "But yes – yes that sounds like a plan. I've brewed it before I can show you how. Oh by the way," And she slipped a paper into Ami and Makoto's hands. "I've charmed it. It's only readable when you're alone."

"It's a brilliant idea." Usagi whispered to their two friends as they closed their hands around the slips of paper. "Trust me."

Indeed, the messages were certainly intriguing. Ami managed to read hers in Ravenclaw's private library that night, and Makoto in the bathroom after Charms.

_If you'd like to learn some proper Defence – The Hogshead Pub, Hogsmeade Village. Next Saturday at 14:00._

~ _SMH_ ~

In the end, it turned out to be a sizable group of students who congregated in the Hogshead during the second weekend of October. The fifth year Senshi arrived together, pushing open the door ahead of a gaggle of fourth years that included Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood. There were at least thirty people crowded into the dingy pub, some brave souls even drinking butterbeer out of the cloudy looking glasses.

"Why is he here," Harry Potter was saying as they walked in, glaring daggers at a Hufflepuff fourth year just behind Rei.

"I got invited!" the boy said.

"Don't worry, Zach's trustworthy!" a fifth year Hufflepuff – Ernie Macmillan assured them all.

"Seems like a git to me," they heard one of the Weasley twins mutter.

"Okay!" Hermione said, clapping her hands, "everyone sit down."

They did in short order, all of them staring at Harry who shifted uncomfortably as Hermione began to speak, but none the less had the same determination in his eyes as she and Ron."

As the meeting ended, and the five of them had signed their names across Hermione's enchanted parchment, Usagi looked at Harry.

"Can we invite our friends – Haruka and Michiru and Hotaru, I mean?"

"Uh… sure," Harry said. "I'm sure they can sign the thing later. Dunno if the seventh years will wanna learn from me." Truth be told, Haruka scared him a little.

"Don't worry Harry, mate," George said.

"They might be Slytherins,"

"But they're a decent sort."

"I more meant that they're older." Harry started to say then fell silent. After all, a sizable number of those in attendance had been seventh years, though they were mostly from his own house.

"They'll definitely want to come!" Usagi declared.

~ _SMH_ ~

Indeed, Haruka and Michiru were curious enough to make an appearance when they met the other Senshi in the seventh floor corridor an hour before curfew. Hotaru bounded up to them immediately for a hug. "Where's Mama!" she demanded in a whisper though they were currently the only students outside.

"She thought it'd be a conflict of interest for her," Michiru said, ruffling Hotaru's hair. "Besides she's on Patrol duty tonight."

"How are we getting in anyways?" Haruka asked, watching Minako who was staring intently at the wall, tapping her foot.

"Hermione said…oh blast it, I can't remember. Walk three times and think…what was I supposed to think."

"A place to meet in secret," Rei told her patiently.

"A place to meet in secret." Minako said, muttering under her breath. Once, Twice, Three times… "A place to meet in – Gah!" She gasped as a door suddenly appeared on the wall before her – tall, solid, and sturdy. She gently grasped the brass handle and pushed, gasping as the door swung inward to reveal the vast training room within.

"Well this will be convenient for our own training as well," Michiru whispered as they all filed inside, joining a sizable group of other students inside – more of them following behind the senshi.

"What're Slytherins doing here!" someone – Zacharius Smith – shouted.

"Shut it Smith!" Fred Weasley snapped. " _They've earned our trust_."

"Something _you_ still have to do." George said.

No one else questioned Haruka and Michiru any further – certainly not after they and Hotaru had signed Hermione's enchanted parchment – but that didn't stop the looks which persisted all through the beginning of the meeting.

But once the disarming charm started flying across the room, they were hardly worth a glance anymore.

" _Expelliarmus!_ " Hotaru shouted, pointing the blade of her glaive right towards Harry Potter's chest. A collective gasp raced around the room as the other students watched the Holly wand jerked up and out of his hand, clattering to the floor.

"Well done!" Harry beamed at her. "Now, let's see if you can catch it…"

All told, the scouts left the meeting with renewed hope in the subject of Wizarding defensive magic and combat. Though the name chosen by their fellow peers seemed a tad hero-worshipful. What had the Headmaster done to inspire a volunteer army?

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good_ ~


	6. Quidditch, Questions, and Covert Operations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gryffindor and Slytherin open the Quidditch Season, the scouts do some training, Umbridge does some interfering, and a certain bushy haired witch starts getting suspicious...

** Quidditch, Questions, And Covert Operations **

Friday the first of November was notable for the current of excitement that hummed through the student body. Halloween had been exciting, sure. And for many the second D.A meeting and their work with “Reducto” had them still riding the high of watching targets explode. Still others – amongst the Ravenclaws in particular – were excited about the midterm marks that had been passed out at breakfast.

But for most students, there was a far simpler cause to their excitement.

Gryffindor and Slytherin would be opening the Quidditch season tomorrow at ten. And nothing got Hogwarts excited quite like Quidditch. Minerva Mcgonagall was even rumoured to have been seen smiling during the morning’s Transfiguration classes.

There were some outlying low spirits though: Students who hadn’t quite received the marks they’d expected, a few seventh years who’d partied so hard on Halloween that pepper-up potion had little effect, but there was one student in particular who’s sullen mood stood out.

Minako Aino had been growing progressively more frustrated with Magic as the weeks passed. And seeing the evidence of everyone else’s exceptional abilities was not making her feel any better.

Granted, her own marks were quite good, as Ami’d insisted to her repeatedly. (Though she’d only done better than Usagi, which, in her book didn’t mean much).

And meanwhile  _Rei’s_ marks were stellar. Even her potions grade. And on top of that she’d seemingly honed her extra magical ability to a “t”. Her use of fire magic had become more and more controlled throughout October, to the point where she didn’t need spells anymore: she could call on her senshi powers at will. And wasn’t she just reveling in showing off, Mina stewed, stabbing her fork with excessive force into her lunch as she stared at her girlfriend out of the corner of her eye.

The intense gaze she was directing at her mug of tea, and the adorable way her brows drew together in concentration was still overwhelmingly cute in Mina’s book, but that didn’t stop the rush of jealousy that filled her as she watched the precise orange flames that burned from the end of Rei’s wand and flickered up around the rim of the mug, warming reheating the tea until it was the perfect temperature to drink. She’d been at it for a whole minute now and had drawn the attention of all the surrounding Gryffindors. The flames themselves were spectacular, throwing off heat and frequent flickers of yellow, blue, and even Rei’s signature purple.

_Show off_ , Mina thought, stuffing her mouth with a much abused glop of vegetables.

Rei, for her own part was smirking. Mina would get over herself eventually, and the uncomfortable looks Usagi and several other students were making towards the flames were priceless.

Speaking of whom…

"Rei…do you have to heat it up that way," Usagi asked, eyes darting nervously between the fire and the wooden table, cotton table cloth, and Hermione and Mina whose robes and hair appeared dangerously close to the open flame.

"There are boiling charms that would warm it up faster," Ginny pointed out from her spot beside Usagi.

"This is more interesting," Rei murmured, never taking her eyes off the liquid in the mug. "Requires more delicate…concentration." They all watched as she held the flame steady for another minute before pulling the wand away. The flame disappeared and she took a sip of the reheated tea, eyebrows snapping up in delight. 

"Finally getting the hang of it."

"Where'd you find the spell for that anyways" Hermione said. "I've read up on a number of similar charms, but it's always cautioned against maintaining them for more than a few seconds - all of them damage the wand."

"This is a spell I brought from home," Rei supplied.

"But you didn’t attend Mahoutokoro, I thought?" Hermione said.

"Uh… no. It's a family spell," Rei fibbed. "And I'd teach it, but it's a bit hard, doesn’t have an incantation. You just kinda have to… have an instinct for it."

"Aww," Ginny pouted. "Bollocks I'd love to learn it," she said. "Can any of the rest of you do the spell?" she asked Usagi.

Usagi was shaking her head when Mina interrupted. "No," she said flatly, stabbing extra hard into her food. "Not all of us can do special magic like that."

"What is your problem?" Rei snapped, glaring at her. "You've been moping for weeks.”

"Yeah Mina-chan," Usagi said through a large bite of a sandwich "You’ve been a real stick-in-the-mud."

Mina sighed. "You're all good at something," she said. "Like really, really good."

“Not me,” Usagi said. “I mean I’m doing better than at normal school, but still.” She shrugged. “You and I are good at other things – like video games.” She grinned, but was promptly distracted by Ginny and Ron asking what a video game was.

"You've done fairly well yourself," Rei told Mina. "Besides, it's not like I could conjure fire right away - if I'd tried to warm up my tea in September I'd have lost control or not managed it at all.”

"I know," Mina said, dropping her fork and pulling out her blackthorn wand. She glared at it. "But it isn’t September is it? And everyone else can do something cool. Makoto's an ace at potions, and Herbology, and Ami's super good at transfiguration.”

"Most of her spells still turn things ice blue, though," Ron pointed out.

"But even Mcgonagall’s impressed by how quickly she works,” Hermione said with a hint of envy. “She even beats me in class now. Color's not as important compared to the other details of a Transfiguration anyways."

"Exactly," Mina said with a huff. "And Rei, you've gotten good at more than just fire spells. There’s hexes, jinxes,"

"Oh come on Mina-chan," Usagi piped up. "Being average isn’t so bad. Besides – you and I will find something we’re really good at eventually."

Mina huffed. "At this rate you'll even be good at something before me."

"Ohhh thanks…Hey," Usagi's eyes narrowed, "was than an insult?"

"You'll find something," Rei promised, putting a hand on Mina's arm.

“Maybe you’re good at Defence,” Harry added. “You’ve done excellent work the last two meetings. And it’s not like you’d have any idea given we’re stuck with Umbridge.”

“I guess you’re right,” Mina sighed. “And I guess I’m good at Quidditch.”

That was a positive at least. Mina along with Ginny had joined in for most of the Gryffindor practices, training as reserves. Angelina was quite keen on it in the increasingly likely event that Umbridge did something truly evil like give her players detention  _during_ a game. She’d practiced mostly as a chaser to give Ron some extra practice blocking shots from different chasers. She’d gotten the drop on him a number of times, though it was hard to say whether that was her own skill or Ron’s nerves.

“Damn right you’re good at Quidditch,” the Keeper himself said. "Just wait: when I fall of my broom tomorrow you can try your hand at it."

"You're going to do fine," Hermione insisted.

“Especially with tonight’s extra practice,” Harry added. “Speaking of,” he looked at Mina. “Are you coming tonight.”

“Can’t,” Mina smiled “Setsuna’s called another  _boring_ ” She said, dramatically. Rei rolled her eyes as she tried not to giggle at Mina.

“About what?” Hermione wondered.

“Who even knows,” Mina said with a dramatic role of her eyes. “Maybe she wants to tell us to get our marks up or something.”

~ _SMH_ ~

  
It wasn’t strictly a lie – Setsuna did plan to test their magic at this meeting. Just not the kind Hogwarts students were familiar with. The scouts themselves spent the entirety of Friday waiting impatiently for the time after dinner that they’d planned to meet. It was the first opportunity to practice their unique magic that they’d had since school arrived (Setsuna’s office and even quarters did not seem secure enough to house Senshi training sessions. And the Time Doors were still, inconveniently, beyond the limits of the grounds).

But the D.A. had offered them another choice of practice venue, and after two weeks of meetings, the scouts were fairly confident they could now find it on their own.

As dinner drew to a close, they trickled in ones and twos up to the seventh floor corridor, taking care not to be seen together or take the same route. No one was keen on Umbridge discovering their new meeting place, nor any other curiosity seeker for that matter.

Setsuna arrived last with Hotaru to show her the way. As her heels clacked along the stone floor her friends trickled out of the woodwork: first Haruka and Michiru from a room close to the main stairs, then Minako, Rei, and Usagi from the direction of the Gryffindor common room, and lastly Ami from a gallery of portraits. Makoto they found last, leaning over the railing close to the Room of Requirement entrance, eyes scanning above and below for any students or faculty.

“Filch is a couple floors down and I saw a couple Claws headed that way,” Makoto said jerking her thumb in the relevant direction. “But we shouldn’t attract any attention.”

Setsuna nodded, eyes scanning along the stone wall. "So, I don't see a room." she said "One of you care to explain."

"Oooh! I wanna do it this time," Usagi said, rushing up to the wall and pacing three times before it. "We need a place to train," they heard her muttering under her breath.

As the third repetition passed her lips the stone wall rippled, reforming into a set of white doors with intricate silver accents carved all along the edges with matching silver handles. Setsuna raised her eyebrows – though she couldn’t read it, the designs along the frame were clearly ancient Lunarian writing.

Usagi pushed open the doors eagerly and gasped, rushing through and spinning around to take in the room's transformation.

It was not the classroom-like hall they had seen at the D.A. meeting. The wide room appeared domed – its walls and ceiling enchanted in a similar way to the Great Hall. Instead of Earth's sky though, it displayed an even more magnificent sight – the view of the Earth as a crescent of blue and white curving into the black shadow of space, off to the side the brilliant light of the sun blazing. And surrounding it was a completely clear view of the stars - right down to the distant constellations and the arc of another one of the galaxy's arms far in the distance.

It was a perfect replica, Setsuna realized, of what the sky over the lunar training ground had looked like thousands of years ago. She took in the floor under her feet, taking note of the realistic rock ground that made up the training court. The room had even including the cliff that had been built into the middle of the original training court to diversify the terrain.

And along the sides of the domed room were targets – shaped like circles as well as humanoid enemies, hovering above the floor.

"This is amazing," Ami murmured. “Was this a real place?”

“Indeed it was,” Setsuna said. “In your first lives you practiced your powers on training grounds just like these.”

“You could simulate an entire battle in here," Ami murmured.

“That was the original idea,” Setsuna confirmed, crossing her arms. “Interesting. Do you remember this place, Usagi?”

“Noooo,” Usagi said, neck craned as she took in the vast ceiling. “Maybe this is the silver crystal.”

“It’s certainly impressive,” Michiru said. “But is there any way for us to test just our power level?” she wondered, then gasped as the ground beneath her feet flashed, transitioning from lunar rock into pure white tiles that formed into a straight, wide path, from one end of the room to the other. One of the circular targets flew over, settling at the end of the pathway. They watched, wide eyed, as a glass cylinder formed beside it, a turquoise stone appearing at the top and falling with a plink onto the bottom.

“That looks like it could measure your progress like the house-point counters do,” Setsuna observed.

Michiru hummed, and stepped into the middle of the wide, tile pathway. “Well let’s see how much power it can measure then.” She smirked and raised her henshin wand high overhead. "Neptune Eternal Make-Up!" she shouted, turning as a typhoon of turquoise energy surrounded her. When the light faded, Sailor Neptune's white boots landed on the tiles with a graceful clack and she raised her hazel wand in her hand, staring at it thoughtfully “It feels odd" she murmured a second before it lit up bright blue in her hand.

The scouts gasped as Michiru’s wand glowed, stretching in her hand until it was nearly as tall as she was. When the light faded, they all gazed in wonder at the new instrument. The wand had transformed into a trident, the same color as the hazel wood but with delicate carvings all along the staff and the setting of its three-pronged steel blade. Neptune jumped as the Aqua mirror shimmered in the air and affixed itself to the trident at the apex of the three blades. It melded seamlessly into the weapon, as though they had always been one artifact.

"Interesting." Michiru mused, turning to face off against the target. She put both hands on the trident and spun it,  "Submarine..." she shouted as she spun the weapon with expert precision and stopped it so that the mirror faced directly at the target across the room "Reflection!"

A cyclone of seawater shot out of the mirror, engulfing the target across the room. It slammed into the dome as a number of turquoises tumbled into the point counter until it was half full with crystals.

Neptune raised an eyebrow. “ _Half!”_

“Looks like someone’s out of practice,” Haruka chucked, twirling her henshin wand as she stepped up beside Neptune. The teasing earned her a glare. As she stepped into line with Neptune the tile pathway expanded so that she had her own lane with her own target at the end. She raised her own henshin wand. “Uranus Eternal Make-up!”

In a bright flash and a rush of wind, Sailor Uranus appeared on the training ground, summoning her space sword immediately to her hand and watching as her fir wand rose into the air, beginning to glow along with the space sword. Acting on instinct, she grasped the fir wand in her free hand and crossed it and the space sword together. It flared brightly, stretching and curving into an exact replica of her talisman so that she grasped a sword in each hand.

“Nice,” Uranus grinned before squaring off against the target. “Space Swords…BLASTER!” she said, slicing both blades in the air towards the target, two arcs of light cut through the air, racing clean through the target. Navy blue gems began to clack into the glass cylinder beside the target at a rapid pace though it appeared unchanged.

But they all saw the fine line that had cut into the target, even from far across the room. And the nine senshi watched as that the material of the target split, the whole circle cleaving apart across a clean, “X” shaped slash, It fell in four separate pieces onto the training room floor.

Uranus counters, like Neptune’s, reached half full.

“Now who needs practice,” Neptune murmured beside her. Uranus blushed and stowed both swords.

“Hey if that’s half – that’s still damn cool,” she boasted. “I’d like to see someone do better.”

“Oh – you’re on,” Makoto and Mina grinned, running up beside Uranus. In a crash of lightning and an explosion of orange light, Sailors Jupiter and Venus appeared on the training ground, white tile paths stretching out under their feet as targets flew into place for them. Both of their wands began to glow.

“Do something cool, do something cool,” Venus muttered, crossing her fingers as she watched the light from the wand intensify and twist, shifting into a bright orange color.

Jupiter, meanwhile stared as rather than stretch out, her own Oak wand grew wider and heavier in her hand. “Woah.” As Venus’ wand continued to glow, her own completed its transformation – revealing a stout hammer with intricate leather wrappings around the handle and a green shine to the thick, double sided metal head. The symbol of Jupiter was carved into each end of the hammer and at the apex of the head and the handle, was a fully colored pink rose.

She hefted it in her hand and gave it a practice swing, the room murmuring in appreciation as sparks flew off the end. “It’s light.”

“Aww come on!” Venus cried beside her. “This isn’t anything new!”

Everyone turned to look at the leader of the inner senshi, whose face was red as she glared at the weapon in her hand – the Love-Me Chain, with a decorative new handle.

“I got a dud!” Venus moaned. “Hammer, sword, trident – and all I get is a handle,” she cracked the chain. And glared hard at the gleaming, elaborate, black handle. 

“What kind of upgrade is that?”

“It…made your chain a whip,” Usagi said, attempting to comfort her.

“It was a whip before!” Venus raged. “Now it’s just…fancy.”

“Well maybe it’s more powerful,” Jupiter suggested, raising her own hammer. “Let’s see… wonder what happens if I try a Wix spell.”

“Go for it,” Venus sulked, still glaring at her mostly unchanged weapon.

Jupiter shrugged, and directed her eyes at the target across the room, eyes narrowed. She raised the hammer high overhead and brought it down swiftly, one end pointed towards the target. “ _Reducto_ !”

The blasting curse left her hammer with a harsh crack of thunder, jumping across the room in a flash of bright white lightning. The target exploded, top half spewing outwards in charred and flaming chunks and blackened bits drifting through the air. A charred array of black decorated the intact bottom half.

And the counter on the right side filled three quarters of the way up with emeralds.

“This is bullshit,” Venus mumbled as Jupiter pumped her fist and grinned. The other scouts around her cheered and clapped.

“Perhaps Wix style attacks will have the power advantage,” Ami mused, raising her own henshin wand. “Try one, Venus,” she said before she too transformed.

Venus closed her eyes and adjusted her grip on the Love Whip’s handle. “Okay, maybe it isn’t anything special,” she said aloud. “But my powers still kick butt.” And she gave the Love Whip an expert spin, cracking it towards the target and shouting the first spell she could think of that would do something. “ _Depulso!”_ she cried, hoping the banishing charm would give the whip or the target a piece of her mind. The whip shot out towards the target, heart links glowing bright orange. It hit the target with a flash and the whole circle shot off its stand, landing with a crash against the opposite wall and sliding to the ground.

Topazes clinked into Venus’ counter, piling up as she stared hopefully at them, and leveling off about a third of the way up – the least powerful attack of the group.

“Merlin’s balls,” Venus cursed, borrowing an expression she’d heard from Ron.

“ _Language_ ,” Hotaru giggled as the others laughed.

“So not universally more powerful,” Mercury murmured eyeing her own target, which had settled across the room from her. Venus noted her own alder wand had certainly surpassed the blackthorn wand’s transformation.

Mercury passed the tall, regal staff between her hands, taking in the twin icy snakes that twined up the sides ending just below the outstretched wings of a bronze bird, its predatory beak forming the point of the staff, with a pale blue gem for an eye and realistic looking feathers leafed onto it. It made Mercury look like a  Ravenclaw champion, Venus thought enviously.

Mercury tipped her new staff towards the target considering. Wix attack or senshi?  _Might as well try something old for starters._ “Mercury Bubbles…BLAST!”

A spiral of bubbles exploded from the bird’s bronze beak, popping as they spiraled across the training ground and filling the room with an impenetrable fog.

It took a slash of Uranus’ swords to clear the mess. Through the lingering mist, they saw the target had tipped over on its side; a half full container of ice crystals floated beside it.

“Way to go Mercury!” Usagi cheered. “Rei, you next!”

“My pleasure,” Rei grinned, raising her henshin wand. “Mars Eternal Make-up!”

Sailor Mars appeared from within a roaring circle of fire and emerged onto the training ground with the cherry wand burning in her hand. It stretched, continuing to burn, until it settled into a spear about half Mars’ height, a strong, amethyst flame engulfing the tip.

Mars spun it once, twice, and directed it towards the target, drawing her other arm back as if it held a bowstring. “Mars Flame SNIPER!”

The flaming spear shot across the room, landing squarely through the center of the target and engulfing it in flames. It vanished and reappeared in Mars hand as the target burnt to ash. Rubies tumbled into the counter.

And overflowed from the top.

Jupiter whistled. “Dayum,”

“This is so not fair,” Venus murmured.

“I guess I just know what I’m good at,” Mars crowed with a flip of her hair. “Go on, let’s see Setsuna, Hotaru, Usagi?”

“Go on,” Setsuna nodded to Usagi as she and Saturn raised their henshin wands.

Usagi nodded and stepped up as a new target soared into place across from each of them. “Moon Eternal Make-Up!” She cried, raising the silver crystal’s brooch high.

Eternal Sailor Moon appeared in a flash of white light and her willow wand glowed in the air as the Eternal Tiare materialized beside it. They all gasped as the two merged, the Tiare reforming into a scepter they had only seen once before – in the hands of Neo Queen Serenity.

“Was wondering when that would come into your possession once more,” Pluto murmured as her own rowan wand merged with the Garnet rod, but otherwise created no change in its appearance.

Saturn, for her part, eyed the Silence Glaive with a longing face. “I wish mine could be more powerful.”

“Give it a go,” Pluto encouraged. “Try it with a Wix spell.”

Saturn shrugged. “I don’t know many powerful ones yet.” But she had learned a pretty cool one in charms at the beginning of the year – and she was pretty good at it. “ _Wingardium Leviosa”_ she shouted, pointing the Glaive at the target.

Across the room, the target shot into the air, soaring towards the ceiling and then to the left, the right, and in a loop-de-loop as Saturn directed it, drawing chuckles from her fellow scouts. Finally she let the spell go. The target plummeted to the floor with a heavy thud.

The counter full of pearl-colored crystals reached the halfway mark.

“It must measure based on spell capacity,” Mercury finally decided. “For instance Mars is using her fire powers to their maximum effect, and Saturn, you’re able to use that spell to about half its potential.”

“See Venus,” Uranus said with a smirk. “You just need practice.”

“I’ll give you practice,” Venus grumbled, clenching her hand around the whip. “Go on then, let’s see Pluto.”

Pluto spun the Garnet rod and directed it at her target, deciding on a traditional move. “Dead Scream,” she whispered.

The spinning orb of planetary magic formed at the tip of the garnet rod and rushed across the room, blowing the target to smithereens. Like Mars, Pluto’s counter overflowed with garnet crystals.

“Interesting,” Pluto murmured. “I was thinking of Dolores.”

The scouts laughed, it even got a genuine chuckle out of Venus. Then they all nodded towards Sailor Moon.

“Okay,” she said with a huff, squaring her shoulders and lifting the regal scepter with confident hands. “Starlit Honeymoon Therapy KISS!” the attack burst forth from the scepter in a swirl of hearts and ribbons and crashed into the target, generating a pink inferno as it hit its mark. When the light cleared, they could see a hole blasted clean-through the target and a pile of silver crystals plinking down into the counter.

The stopped at only a third full, just like Venus.

Sailor Moon grinned. “See Venus, you’re like me!” She cried. “We’re both good, we just need practice.”

Venus stared at their identical counters and sighed, shoulders slumping as around her the others muffled giggles. “Great.”

~ _SMH_ ~

  
The next morning dawned crisp and cool with no one the least bit curious about the nine transfer students who’d returned to the dorms just in time for curfew. 

Indeed, they’d all had Quidditch on the brain long before bedtime, many, the players especially, could barely sleep from the excitement.

It seemed like the whole school had crammed into the Quidditch stadium for the match, decked out in the colors of the team they were supporting. Even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had dawned the reds and greens of the playing teams. There were far more red accouterments than green, the scouts noticed.

And while Haruka and Michiru had opted for Slytherin green by default, all the fifth year Senshi and Hotaru had come out in Gryffindor red, in support of Minako who’d taken up the Quidditch enthusiasm the second she’d seen her first practice. She leaned over the railing beside Ginny and scanned the crowded pitch. “Where are they gonna come out?” she demanded.

“There,” Ginny pointed down towards one of the tall towers, a Gryffindor lion displayed across the bottom. “The locker room’s underneath.”

Indeed, mere minutes later, in a woosh of brooms, seven scarlet clad figures soared out from beneath the stands and rose up to half the height of the high towers amid raucous cheers from the crowd. And across the way, from beneath the Slytherin banner, the opposing team emerged as well garnering a slew of cheers from the Slytherin part of the stands.

The game commenced in short order and the scouts came to three conclusions quite quickly.

Quidditch, was even more violent outside or practice.

It looked absolutely stunning.

And Slytherin had clearly contrived to lose Gryffindor the match as their song carried audibly across the entire pitch, demoralizing the new Gryffindor Keeper with every shot.

“He’s not doing too poorly,” Hermione said after two renditions of “Weasley is our King” and Ron’s third failure to block a shot.

“He’s absolutely rubbish,” Ginny muttered much less kindly. “I’ve heard of first game jitters bit  _Merlin’s Balls_ , that’s four.”

“We’re gonna die,” Dean Thomas moaned further down the stands. “Come on Ron, pull it together!”

“The song certainly isn’t helping,” Rei murmured.

The game continued to go miserably, Ron’s performance continuing to be shaky to dreadful as it wore on. When three blasts of Hooch’s whistle announced the snitch had been caught the Gryffindor stands were consumed not only with cheers but with sighs of relief. Finally, they’d managed to win in the final point totals and the misery of watching the Quaffle soar through their hoops was at an end. Slowly, the mass of Gryffindor supporters began to trickle out of the stands, but not before the scouts, Ginny, and Hermione caught the commotion on the field below.

“Oh  _come on_ Harry,” Hermione frowned, leaning over the stands and biting her lip as she saw he and one of the twins launch towards Malfoy. “Whatever he said isn’t worth it.”

“Oh no,” Ginny murmured as she saw the bright pink robes of the Defence professor descending towards Harry, Fred, and George, whom Mcgonagall had already begun lecturing. “Anyone but her.”

“What’s that in her hand,” Hermione wondered, eyes zeroing in on the scroll of parchment Umbridge was unfurling as she talked to Mcgonagall. They couldn’t hear, but all of them saw as the twins and Harry’s shoulders slumped, and Angelina put her head in her hands.

“That can’t be good,” Ginny whispered.

~ _SMH_ ~

Indeed, it was far worse than they thought.

“Banned!” Harry ranted later on as he paced around the common room. “And Malfoy started it – and he get’s off with nothing. Nothing!”

“And we’re short three starters because of you,” Angelina joined in, pacing even more furiously across the Gryffindor carpet, watched by a crowd of nervous onlookers. “ _I know what he said, George!”_ she snapped as said twin opened his mouth.

“Actually, I’m,”

“ _Fine, Fred. I don’t care!”_ she groaned, pulling at her hair with her hands. “How am I supposed to field a team, you’re half the team.”

“You have Ginny,” George supplied. “And Gin’s brilliant,”

“At chasing,” Angelina muttered. “I’ve never had her seek before, or beat.  _Ugh_ and I’ve never had Mina beat either.”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it,” Katie Bell said from one of the plush armchairs. “It was much more likely the chasers or keeper would get injured, and we haven’t exactly had much time to train them anyways. You prioritized.”

“You couldn’t account for Umbridge,” Ron said. “Or me being shit,”

“ _You’re not_ – ugh!” Angelina pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ron, you are not shit. I do not have encouraging things to say to you about it at the moment, but the first second we get the chance: you are getting back out on the pitch and you are getting over whatever funk overtook you out there – I don’t care if I have to put earmuffs on you.”

“Just replace me,” Ron said. “McLaggen –”

“ _Shut up,”_ Angelina snapped. “If I replace you, I am letting Slytherin win. And I  _loath_ the thought of Montague’s slimy tactics beating me at  _my_ game.” She pointed her finger at Ron. “You are staying. You are playing. And we are going to show them how real Quidditch is played.  _Do you understand me, Weasley?”_

“Y-yes, C-captain,” Ron squeaked, standing up straighter and pulling his hands out of his pockets. Hermione glowed at Angelina.

For her part, Mina had an idea. “Put me as a beater.” She offered. “Ginny’s more experienced. She should seek.” She put her fists on her hips. “I’ve been playing cricket and Volleyball for years – I know how to hit ball.”

“But you’re only one person,” Angelina murmured. “I need two beaters, and to beat Slytherin, or even Ravenclaw, I need Fred and George.” She swore. “Beaters are no good unless they’re a good team.”

Mina glanced around, her eyes landing on Rei.  _A good team_ . “I have an idea.”

Rei met her eyes and watched as Mina’s expression transformed into a pleading pout. “Oh no,” she muttered. “Not the face.”

“Pleeeeease,” Mina begged, rushing over and hanging on Rei’s arm.

“I bought to broom to fly, not…play…sports.”

“But you’re good at sports,” Mina argued.

“Archery is not the same thing,” Rei scoffed.

“Aww come on Rei, one practice – give it a try.” She turned to Angelina. “She’s got a mean right hook – I know plenty of people who could attest.”

“And she’s got a great eye,” Usagi added beside her. “Plus, she’s got her own Firebolt.”

“I’ve barely used it,” Rei mumbled.

“She can fly circles around the castle – in the dark.” Mina insisted.

Angelina looked Rei up and down with a calculating eye and finally sighed. “We’ll try it if you’re willing – it’s the best option I have.”   
Rei took one look at Mina’s and now Usagi’s pleading expressions and the hopeful looks of the gathered crowd and sighed. “Alright – I’ll try it.” Her statement was nearly drowned out by cheers and whoops from the twins. “We’ll salvage the season yet!” Ginny cheered.

“I’ll book us double practices.” Angelina decided. “So don’t spend too long at Hogsmeade next week – we’ve got work to do.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Hogwarts had Quidditch on the brain for the entire next week, and the approaching Hogsmeade weekend only added to their distraction. The Professors had their work cut out for them trying to keep interest focused on their lessons.

For his part, Professor Flitwick certainly generated the most successful results.

Heads across the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw charms class snapped up as the high windows around the room slammed shut, candles lighting up all around and the center aisle of the room rising up into a raised platform.

The quick sounds of footsteps echoed as Professor Flitwick walked from the doors of the classroom, up the platform stairs and into the center. At a flick of his wand, the surface of the platform itself lit up, revealing designs that sent most of the students into a frenzy of excited whispers.

There was no mistaking the distinctive patterns of a dueling court.

“ _Sonorus_ ,” they heard Flitwick mutter and then his voice was booming across the room, causing Ami, Rei, Usagi, and Minako to jump up in their seats. “TODAY,” the professor’s squeaky voice boomed, silencing the whispers. “WE’LL BE PRACTICING A MOST NOBLE WIZARDING ART – THE CLASSIC DUEL.” He flicked his wand again and a list of names formed in glowing white chalk on the blackboard – all the students names.  _Patil – R_ and  _Thomas – G_ glowed brighter than the others.

“PADMA AND DEAN, COME DOWN TO THE PLATFORM PLEASE.” Flitwick said. “AND THE REST OF YOU LISTEN SILENTLY,” they heard and felt him cough, the enhanced voice shaking the room. “ _QUIETUS_ !” he declared and then said, in his normal voice. “As I said, Silently – that spell is quite the strain on the vocal chords.” 

And he cleared his throat, directing Padma and Dean to opposite ends of the platform. “Now, watch carefully.”

He needen’t have reminded them. The entire classroom was leaning out of their seats watching with riveted expressions as Flitwick explained the basic dueling principles, several charms useful for such things, and something new to most of the fifth-years: Spell chaining.

“In a duel it is important to fire off spells not only faster than your opponent but towards the ultimate yield.” Flitwick declared. “For instance, it is one thing to transfigure your shoe into a decently sized rock, but a well placed banishing charm can launch said shoe across the room as it forms, shortening the time it takes you to hit your opponent and leaving them with less time to react. Imagine preparing for a shoe and half way through your protective measures realizing you’re about to get a boulder to the face.”

His story drew several chuckles. But they quieted upon a wave of Flitwick’s hand. He directed Padma and Dean through a couple other pointers and instructions and then stepped back onto the edge of the dueling platform, conjuring a high chair from which he could observe them. “You may begin. Bow.” They did. “And three, two, one!”

“ _Petrificus Totalis!”_ Padma Patil shouted only to have Dean Thomas dodge to the side, the nimble football player raised his own wand and set off a tickling charm and a stunner together, both blocked on Padma’s shield.

Then Patil whipped her wand around again, directing an  _Expelliarmus_ and a  _Depulso_ at Dean in a chained attack. The boy’s wand jerked out of his hand and sailed across the room, slamming into the classroom doors with a quick tap and clattering to the floor.

“Five points to Ravenclaw,” Flitwick crowed, clapping his hands. “Alright, tournament rules, Padma please remain on the Platform. Dean, good show. Let’s have another opponent.”

The board crossed out Dean’s name and another glowed, eliciting murmurs throughout the class.

_Aino – G_ .

“You got this, Mina.” Usagi said as Rei gave a comforting squeeze to her shoulder.

Mina squared her shoulders and drew her Blackthorn wand. She could do the spells, but her wand had certainly proven a tad stubborn when it came to power.  _And_

_Patil’s had years of practice…what ever am I gonna be able to pull against her… and quick enough to get the drop on her as well…_ ” She pushed the nerves back as she approached the platform. Now was not the time for stage fright.  _I’ll just have to soldier through – and so will you._ She thought, directing her hopes towards her stubborn wand. She bowed to Patil as Flitwick gave some last minute instructions, all of which were drowned out by the furious beating in her heart in her ears. She only tuned in for the cue.

“Three…two…one!”

“ _Expelliarmus_ !” She cried at Padma but a quick  _Protego_ on the part of her opponent neutralized the attack. She ducked a bright red stunner and then a  _Petrificus totalis_ and rolled.

Padma was relentless, another red spell shooting towards her without pause. She ducked, blocked, and shot off counter spell after counter spell – the few that she new. But Padma was faster and so were her shields. Even as Mina became more and more comfortable with the quick movements of her wand through spell after spells she faltered. Her next  _protego_ blocked the tickling jinx aimed at her chest but faded too fast to block Padma’s next attack. A leg locker. She felt her legs spring together and pitched forwards.  _I can’t fall_ , she thought, whipping out her wand.  _Don’t let me fall_ . “ _Ascendio_ ” she shouted, pointing her wand her herself. 

She shot up into the air to the gasps of the class. Padma gaped up at her. And she grinned. Her legs were useless, but this wasn’t. She began to fall and yelped. 

“ _Wingardium Leviosa_ ,  _Lumos Maxima_ !” She shouted, the flash of light exploding from her wand even as she felt her body jerk, held in the air by the first spell. She concentrated hard. She’d got herself up here. Now how to attack Padma…and get down?

They’d practiced cushioning charms just the week before. It was worth a shot.  
“ _Circueo_!” She cried, letting the levitation charm drop as her cushioning charm took affect. As she fell towards the dueling platform she let off two spells in quick succession. “ _Confundus, Flipendo, Stupefy,”_ she said conjuring a knockback jinx on the heels of the confusion charm. First two spells spiraled towards Padma, still half-blind from the light spell as one and which her _Protego_ was fast enough to block the _Confundus_ , the physical nature of _Flipendo_ , sent her stumbling backwards from the force of it, still tripping over her feet as Mina’s stunner hit her in the gut. Both of the fell to the floor of the dueling platform at the same time, Mina onto her cushioning charm and Padma stiffly onto her back.

 

As she got to her feet, she heard clapping from above and looked up. Flitwick gazed down at her with a delighted smile.

“Well done,” he squeaked. “Brocklehurst, could you kindly revive Ms. Patil, thank you. Let’s have another name.” He waved his wand towards the board and as 

Padma’s name was crossed out another glowed.  _Weasley – G_ . “Ronald, if you would.” Flitwick said and Mina watched as Ron ascended the stage. “And by the way – five points to Gryffindor for successfully linking your spells.”

Mina glanced at her wand. Is that what she’d done.  _Like a chain, can I time them like one too_ ? She wondered as she bowed towards Ron, spells rushing to the forefront of her mind as she sized him up. Built, ability level, distance away. She had her wand up and shooting a spell as soon as Flitwick’s voice reached “one” and had another one ready as soon as Ron blocked, starting with three stunners linked one after the other. He blocked or dodged all three, barely. And she ended up defeating him in four moves. Then Terry Boot in two, Lavendar Brown, Mandy Brocklehurst, Anthony Goldstein, even  _Ami_ was down in three turns.

They hadn’t even gotten through half the class before Flitwick had to signal the end of the period. Minako stood stunned on the platform as he flicked his wand at the blackboard. Her name grew larger and larger as the list of crossed out names – eleven students long, fell into place beneath it. “Very nicely done, Ms. Aino.” Flitwick praised. “I say, you have a firm grasp of the chained spell method.”

“Th-thank you,” she said, still marveling that her Blackthorn wand had preformed so well, so powerfully, so quickly. Goodness it normally had trouble managing  _one_ spell at a time.

“Adrenaline is quite the game changer in a Duel.” Flitwick mused. “It seems you may have naturally channeled yours.

“Mina!” Usagi cried as she, Rei, and Ami rushed up to the platform. “You were brilliant.”

“I…I was,” Mina said, still quite stunned.

“You were quite exceptional,” Flitwick crowed. “I dare say I don’t see students with such natural instincts very often.”

She stared at the blackthorn wand as Usagi began exclaiming about lunch beside her. It had been so stubborn but here it was, performing under pressure. “ _Thank you,”_ she said to it as she turned towards the stairs of the dueling platform.

“What?” Ami asked.

“N-nothing.”

~ _SMH_ ~

That Tuesday Charms class had set the second week of November off on a much more positive note than it had stared for Mina, and by the end of their emergency practice that night, all of Gryffindor’s spirits seemed to have recovered from the devastating end of the first Quidditch match. Angelina marched confidently into the castle after Practice with Mina under one arm and Rei under the other. “You were bloody excellent!” she cheered as a gaggle of other Gryffindors chattered excitedly around them. “I mean  _Ginny_ ,” she said in a rush as she looked back towards the red-head who was walking between a grinning Alice and Katie, “You were brilliant too – but these too. Ha!” She laughed. “I didn’t think I’d ever meet two beaters as in sync as Fred and George.”

Mina glanced at Rei. “Guess we just spend a lot of time together.”

“It’s like you can read minds, can you?” Angelina demanded.

Rei smirked. “I’m highly perceptive.”

“Well I don’t care what it is,” Angelina decided. “Merlin, we might just salvage this season.” And the Gryffindors cheered as they stomped through the Entrance hall, stopping only when they noticed several students blocking the main stairs.

“Oi!” one of the sixth year Gryffindors called. “We’ve got celebrating to do, move it.”

The other students looked back at them – one Ravenclaw in particular with a long suffered glare. “What’s there to celebrate, can’t you read?” and she waved her hand up towards the wall above the stairs, where a growing number of placards placed by the High Inquisitor had been displayed. And, the Gryffindors realized with dread, there was a new one.

_Educational Decree number 29,_ it declared  _All independent student research and practical projects are henceforth forbidden, except for with the express permission of the High Inquisitor_ .

“The Dittany!” A voice – Neville’s, realized within the crowd of Gryffindors. And the scouts quickly realized exactly what that meant.

Their defence against Umbridge’s cruel detentions was under threat.

Just then they heard a clack of steps from above, Hermione and Ami rushing down the stairs.

“You see it!” Hermione cried. “We have to tell Harry…and Makoto. I just heard from Susan,” she said in a rush. “Umbridge is going to be clearing out the classrooms, potions lab, greenhouses…tomorrow.”

“I can talk to Sprout,” Neville said from the crowd. “She might let me…well she’d definitely.”

“And what about the potion,” Ron realized from within the crowd. “Blimey, Snape hates her too but he’d never let us take it from the lab.”

“We’ve got to though.” Hermione said. “she’ll just keep hurting more students with her  _horrid_ lines.” She fumed. “I bet she’s done this on purpose, you know.”

“No doubt,” Rei said, pulling out from beneath Angelina’s arm.

Usagi looked between Rei, Mina, and Ami and they all nodded. “We should find Makoto.” Usagi decided. “And Harry…guys. We’ve got a mission.”

“Right,” the three of her scouts chorused. And none of the gathered students missed the resolute expressions on their faces. The determination and the confidence reminded Ron of practiced Aurors.

“We’re gonna help, right?” Ron muttered to Hermione. But Usagi’s beckoning hand answered for him. She nodded to Neville as well.

“Me?” he stared.

“Of course,” Usagi smiled, grabbing his hand and dragging him along as the group diverged from the crowd in the direction of Mcgonagall’s office – where Harry was sure to be in detention. “After all, you know the Greenhouses and Sprout better than anyone. We need you.”

Neville appeared stunned at first, but squared his shoulders and quickened his walk until he kept pace with Usagi. “Right.”

~ _SMH_ ~

They’d managed to find Makoto and Harry in short order and had secluded themselves up in the Room of Requirement to plan. The Dittany plants would be simple enough. Sprout had assured Neville when he’d seen her in the hall that sometimes that particular Greenhouse was left “unlocked” as the lock mechanism was faulty. She also helpfully pointed out which corridors would be patrolled by herself and Professor Meioh that night – whom they knew would certainly look the other way.

It was decided that Neville, Ron, Harry, and Makoto would head down to the greenhouses and smuggle the dittany plants across the ground floor to the Hufflepuff cellars. The task of containing and moving the potion was left to Ami and Hermione, with Usagi, Minako and Rei along for back up. Worse, they’d decided it’d be best to move the potions up to Ravenclaw tower – in the same wing of the castle as Snape’s dungeon but twelve entire floors above.

“Plants we can levitate,” Hermione had explained. “Have to move the potion by hand. Depending on what stage each brew is in it could be unstable.”

They set out a half hours before curfew, movements obscured by the crowds of students rushing to mail letters, meet with professors, and check out that one book from the library before they were restricted to the dorms for the night. When they diverged at the base of the tower’s stairs, harry pressed a bundle of silvery cloth into Hermione’s hand.

“I’ve got the map,” he assured her. “We’ll be fine – take it.”

The scouts were curious but didn’t comment, focused on the mission.

Makoto, Ron, Harry, and Neville made it down the the fifth greenhouse without trouble, though Neville did wince when the hinges of the greenhouse door creaked loudly. “Forgot about that,” He mumbled as he beckoned them one-by-one into the humid room.

The Dittany plants were on the left side – all ten of them in various stages of bloom. Ron managed to levitate five in one go with Harry and Neville managing the others, they crept out of the Greenhouse and held their breath as Neville creaked the door shut. But at last the chore was done, and the door shut as though no one had been there.

“Locking charm,” Harry suggested.

“I’ve got it,” Makoto declared. “What’s the incantation?” She managed it on the second try as the boys kept watch.

“Hang on,” Ron said pointing his free hand across the grounds. “Something there.”

Indeed, it was a lantern light, glowing softly in the darkness and approaching quickly.

“ _Umbridge_ ?” Harry cursed.

“Or Filch,” Neville chimed in. “And they’re in our way.”

“This way,” Ron whispered as he waved them away from the Greenhouse and across the grounds. Makoto followed, wand drawn, noting with curiosity that Harry had taken out a map with his free hand and was scanning the thick parchment carefully.

“Damn,” he cursed. “It is Filch – and Ms. Norris.” He pointed his finger at the map and Makoto realized that Mr. Filch’s cat certainly was on there, pacing in front of the main doors of the Castle.

“Wait a second!” Harry realized. “Hagrid – Hagrid’s back.” He grinned. “Let’s store the plants with him.”

“And move them to Hufflepuff when the coast’s clear – good thinking Harry.” Neville said. “How’re we to get back in?”

“We’ll find a way.” Harry said, scanning over the map. “Oh no…Umbridge.”

“Not her too,” Ron cursed.

“Worse,” and Harry’s thumb pointed towards Umbrige’s dot, rapidly moving towards what Makoto recognized as the stairs to the potions dungeon.

_They can handle it_ , she thought of her teammates.  _And they’ve got Hermione to boot_ . As she helped the boys levitate the cluster of plants, she pulled together all her willpower on concentration on something else. She was no psychic, not by a longshot. But she hoped Re’s perception would make up for it.  _Rei_ , she thought as firmly as she could.  _Incoming_ .

Rei got the feeling like a shock to her brain just as the group of them cleared the first Dungeon. “Hide!” she whispered, drawing the Cherry wand. Hermione reacted immediately, swinging open a nearby door with a flick of her wand. The inside was a broom closet, crammed full of brooms. “We can fit two.” Hermione decided. “Usagi, Mina, you’re the closest.”

“Pass me that cauldron,” Mina said as she and Usagi rushed into the small room, crowding the five cauldrons of dittany in various stages of brewing at their feet.” 

Hermione closed the closet door and beckoned Rei and Ami to come closer to her, unfurling the sliver cloth. “Under here!” she demanded, and the two of them ducked quickly underneath the huge cloak. Hermione secured it around them. It barely covered their ankles.

“What?” Ami murmured, voice barely audible as she watched through the sheer cloak as a figure appeared around the corner.

“Invisibility cloak,” Hermione murmured back, pressing a finger to her lips. She had her wand up in her right hand and Ami and Rei followed her example, holding their breath as the portly, toad-like figure made her way along the hall.

_“Hem, hem_ .” The heard as Umbridge approached, scanning all along the hallway. The three girls crouched lower as she neared, lest the hem of the cloak rise above their ankles. Umbridge had her wand in hand.

She walked straight past, barely glancing towards them or the broom closet, focus on the potions lab further in the dungeon. Hermione sighed and relaxed as they all waited for Umbridge to round the corner.

Behind them, something crashed within the closet. Hermione flinched. Rei cursed. Ami watched as Umbridge whipped around, wand in the air and pointed right towards them.

_No you don’t_ , she thought, whipping her wand out from beneath the cloak. “Mercury bubbles,” she whispered on a hunch. “BLAST.”

The familiar fog of bubbles erupted from the tip of the alder wand, blanketing the hall in a dense fog. “Nice one!” Rei whispered, jumping out from beneath the cloak and wrenching open the closet door. There was Usagi frozen over the broom she had knocked over. And Minako behind her shaking her head. “Grab the cauldrons,  _come on_ .”

Between the three Gryffindor scouts they managed all five cauldrons and raced along the hall, Hermione and Ami covering the rear.

Ami let off another spew of bubbles as the first batch of fog began to disappate and added a spell she’d learned that week.  _“Aqua Eructo_ !” she whispered and a jet of water shot out of her wand, flooding the entire floor of the hallway. “Mercury Ice bubbles FREEZE” she whispered as a follow up.

Hermione took it all in with wide eyes as their retreat was covered by another cloud of bubbles, these freezing all the water on the floor, frosting the windowsills, and still leaving a thick, chilly fog in their wake. “What spell  _is_ that,” she murmured.

“I made it up,” Ami said on the fly. It was, in a manner of speaking, true. “Come on, up this way.” And she directed them up the familiar route to Ravenclaw tower. 

They charged up the eleven flights of stairs, though Usagi and Hermione were panting by the time they reached the top floor. Ami rattled off the answer to the statue’s daily riddle before it had even finished its question, and ushered them all through the Ravenclaw port hole in short order. She then opened the doorway to the Ravenclaw library, ignoring the scandalized glances of some of her housemates.

“I picked the wrong house,” Hermione muttered as she took in the endless rows of books in Ravenclaw’s private library.

“There’s a dark alcove in the back we can store these.” Ami said, leading them through the stacks. Once they’d settled the cauldrons she surveyed the room. “I don’t think anyone will disturb them but…”

“But an aversion charm can’t hurt.” Hermione said, fishing two small rubies out her her pocket. “I can bind the anti-robbery wards to these.”

“We just learned those in Ancient Runes last month,” Rei murmured. “You’ve mastered it already.”

“It was fairly simple once I had the ruin carvings memorized.” Hermione murmured, glancing up to see if this had come off in the know-it-all manner it sometimes did. But the exchange students only looked incredibly impressed. Ami watched as Hermione bound the protective charms to the gems. “Where did you get those?” she wondered. “You haven’t gotten any packages have you?”

“I uhh,” Hermione flushed. “Stole them from the Ancient Runes classroom.”

“You had time to do that today?” Minako exclaimed.

“No, last month,” Hermione said, ducking her head. “I didn’t know what I’d use them for yet but…well when Umbridge stole Hotaru’s glaive I thought…clearly she wasn’t above stealing from students. And these are a good defense though, Sardonx would be better.” She mused.

“Still damn impressive,” Minako whispered.

“I don’t normally steal things.” Hermione said.

“You did it for good reasons,” Usagi said.

“I..yeah.” Hermione grinned. “Anyways, these should be all set.” And she placed the rubies on either corner of the table where they’d set the cauldrons.

“Alright!” Mina cheered, pumping her fist. “Scouts 1, Umbitch ZERO!”

“Scouts?” Hermione wondered.

“Uh,” Mina froze and behind Hermione Ami slapped a hand over her face.

“Name for our friend group,” Rei jumped in, wrapping an arm around Minako and thumping her a tad too hard on the shoulder. “All five of us back at home we're  the scouts.”

“Yeah – ohh like the spice girls!” Mina cheered.

“Oh like the Marauders,” Hermione chuckled. “Alright,” and much to their relief she glanced down at the cloak in her hand. “If we all walk close together, this should be sufficient to get the four of us safely back to Gryffindor.”

“I can't believe it really turns people invisible,” Usagi marveled, running her fingers through the fabric as they walked towards the exit of the library. “How’d Harry get it?”

“And do you use it a lot?” Mina asked.

“Well, that leads to a lot of stories.” Hermione said, “I could tell you back at the common room…”

~ _SMH_ ~

  
In Wednesdays Defense classes, Umbridge was notably irritated, snapping more than usual and assigning detention for everything from tardiness to not taking enough notes. She was even more furious to notice on Thursday and Friday that those in detentions still returned to class with their hands healed and their scars nearly gone.

“That ought to teach her,” Hermione was heard cheering Saturday morning as she and the other students filed past Filch who checked them off the list of students allowed to go to Hogsmeade. “By the way Ami,” she turned towards the blue haired Ravenclaw. “I tried that spell you did – but it didn’t work for me. Is there a trick to it?”

“Um,” Ami stammered, realizing what Hermione was referring to. “You mean…Mercury Bubbles?”

“Yeah…is there a special wand movement.”

“I, couldn’t tell you.” Ami said. “I don’t really think about it when I cast it…but I’m sure if you keep trying you’ll get it.” She smiled. “You get everything eventually.”

Hermione frowned but nodded. “I guess so,”

“Ami!” Makoto called from further up in the line. She pointed towards one of the Thestral pulled carriages. “We’re in this one.”

“Coming!” Ami called and turned to Hermione. “I’ve got to go. But I’ll see you in Hogsmeade.”

“Of course,” Hermione said distractedly, wondering why it seemed like Ami hadn’t actually answered her question.

But Ami was already gone, rushing into the covered carriage and sighing in relief. All the fifth year scouts and Haruka and Michiru were already settled inside. She plopped down beside Makoto and put a hand over her face. “I might have messed up.”

“How,” Makoto said, but before she could answer another voice interrupted.

“I’m sure you didn’t Ami,” Setsuna said as she appeared outside their carriage and smiled as they all greeted her warmly. “I hope you don’t mind if the professor accompanies you today.”

“Mind?” Michiru scoffed. “Come on, it’s more fun with you along.”

Setsuna’s smile briefly morphed into a grin as she stepped up into the carriage and settled beside the two seventh years. “Now,” she said, directing her gaze at 

Ami. “How have you messed up?”

“Well…” Ami began.

~ _SMH_ ~

“And I asked her about it,” Hermione related to the packed carriage of Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw – Luna Lovegood. “She said she never really thought about it…but that’s preposterous. Surely the only unconscious magic is accidental and this certainly wasn’t.”

“Sure you’re not just mad you can’t do something?” Ron teased.

“Honestly, Ronald.” Hermione rolled her eyes. “No I’m serious there was something weird about that spell.” She muttered, staring at her wand. “Mercury Bubbles Blast…”

“Is a strange spell,” Ginny chimed in.

“Maybe you can find it in a book about Japanese magic,” Harry suggested.

“Doubtful,” Luna Lovegood hummed.

“Actually I think Harry sounds perfectly logical.” Hermione retorted.

Just then though, the carriage rattled and jerked forwards, their thestrals picking up the pace. Ginny peaked out the front. “Gosh somethings got all the carriages spooked!” she cried, pointing past the thestrals she couldn’t see and out towards the other carriages, all rumbling erraticly down the road at top speed. “Wonder what?”

A crash behind them promted Harry to whip back the curtains and he, Ron and Hermione leaned out the back of the carriage. “The one behind us has tipped over.” 

He said, taking in the Thestrals who were rapidly runnin away from the felled craft. “And the one behind it.” And he looked further down the line of carriages to towards another that had just stopped in the middle of the road, it’s Thestrals having broken free and run away at top speed, just past the border of Hogwarts grounds.

Harry’s blood chilled as he recognized the black shadows circling the downed carriage – at least five of them. “Dementors!” he cried, launching out the back of the carriage before anyone could stop him. He drew his wand as he raced, precious time wasted trying to move around the other tipped carriages and the frantic students beginning to emerge. The dementors around the fifth carriage were going inside. “No!” Move!” he said, elbowing past a gaggle of students. “ _Expecto_ ,” He shouted as he ran towards the carriage under attack. “ _Expecto Pa –.”_ Suddenly a bright, white light exploded from within the final felled carriage, consuming it, the dementors and everything around it.

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good_ ~


	7. The Draught of Clairvoyance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Scouts find a solution to the Future Sight thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologises in advance for what I like to call "Jet lag typos" when I can think, I will edit.

** The Draught of Clairvoyance **

They had just passed the border of Hogwarts’ grounds when the commotion started outside. Their carriage jerked as both thestrals pulling it split off towards the left and right, their strength splitting the carriage hitch in two with a mighty crack. The scouts shouted as the front of the carriage pitched towards the ground, sending them tumbling into each other.

"What was that?" Haruka demanded.

"Where's my wand?” Makoto wondered, hand groping across the floor.

"Mina, get your foot out of my face!" Usagi grumbled.

"Guys!" Rei snapped, pointing out of the curtain she was holding open. "Look!"

Outside, thestrals were running in every direction, some having tipped over their carriages. And students were piling out in a panic.

And on the ground, a fine layer of ice was forming over the road.

"Did it just...get colder?" Michiru wondered as she sat up straight, wix and henshin wands in each hand.

"Keep your wits about you," Mina advised, and they all stood, wands at the ready as the air around them dropped several more degrees.

“Setsuna?”

Well, all stood up bar one…

"Setsuna...Setsuna!" Haruka shouted, noticing the time guardian remained frozen in her seat, eyes far away.

"Don't...don't leave me here," Setsuna said in a high-pitched tone that suddenly sounded much, much younger than they’d ever known her. Her eyes stared far past Haruka, past all of them, and her face had gone pale.

"What the hell?" Haruka cried. "Setsuna, snap out of it!" She shivered as she shook Setsuna's shoulder, to no effect. Setsuna appeared frozen, lifeless. It reminded her of...of...

The dim carriage and the shouts of the others fell away as Haruka crashed to her knees, the world was red and orange from the setting sun streaming through the cathedral windows, bathing the whole scene in blood red and highlighting Eugeil's silhouette and the sinister gleam of the heart buster she hefted in her hands, the barrel pressed into Neptune's chest.  
"NO!" She shouted, hands coming up to tear at her hair as the blaster went off. Instantly, the light disappeared from Neptune's eyes. And everything was cold.

 _Sailor Moon will come…she will_. Uranus stared as even Eugeil faded, leaving only Neptune’s corpse sprawled out in the red light of the setting sun, the Aqua Mirror taunting her from above.

_So this was the price of the talismans._

“Michiru… _MICHIRU!”_

Around the felled carriage the remaining Senshi huddled together, save Michiru, whose wand had clattered from her hand and who had sunk to the ground. “I’m here,” she tried to say to Haruka who did not seem to hear her. She shivered and tried to concentrate, feeling dark thoughts of her own creeping in. “ _Haruka_ ,” why wouldn’t she answer?

The feeling of powerlessness overwhelmed her as the cold continued to creep into her bones. The others gasped as the curtain on the side of the carriage rippled, a dark, cloaked figure drifting through like a ghost, freezing the carriage walls in its wake. They saw the creature’s long, black cloak swish in the wind, seeming to suck in all the surrounding light. It masked any kind of legs or face it may have had.

“T-transform,” Mina stuttered, elbowing Rei and Makoto, frozen on either side of her.

They could see the creature’s hands. Its spindly, rotten fingers brushed against Haruka’s shoulder as it passed the three fallen outer senshi and advanced towards the inner scouts, stretching one dead hand towards them.

Ami felt rather than saw the one that entered the carriage behind her.  
But she did not see the other three enter from the back, her mind already lost in a chilly fog of nightmares.

“Guys! Guys!”

As the five beings converged, the remaining Senshi fell, one by one, to their terrible power.

“Venus…Eternal…Make-up!”

_~SMH~_

“Don’t leave me here,” Pluto begged, shouting from the threshold of the Time Doors. She stared out into the pitch-black night. The Earth was dark in the sky, and the sun was nowhere in sight. Around her the walls burned and crumbled, revealing more and more of the battlefield beyond the palace.

She shook as she took in the bright fukus of the senshi, dirty and stained with blood, scattered across the battlefield. And worse still, the body of the young princess folded over the holy sword…the princess hand still wrapped around its hilt.

She’d known this battle would happen. She had. But it was supposed to lead to good things… that bright future had suggested they were supposed to win.

How could it possibly end like this?

Her eyes caught the one flash of movement across the ruined palace, the bright white of the queen’s gown as she collapsed atop a fallen column, head in her hands.

“My Queen,” Pluto shouted, hand hovering at the threshold of the Time Doors.

She could not cross. She could not. She needed to apologize.

She should have seen this coming…

She heard the roar as Saturn’s power swept over The Moon, vanishing ruins, enemies, and allies alike, leaving the dead barren surface in its wake.

And the Queen and the two cats remained alive. Perhaps there was hope. She could still see some future, one where the Queen was strong again.

But as she watched at the barrier between her dimension and linear time, Queen Serenity removed the Silver Crystal from her scepter. And she knew immediately what would happen. She knew the souls of the Silver Millennium would be sent on, that the Kingdom would cease to be. That the cats too would be sent into a long sleep. She watched as Luna and Artemis disappeared in a shimmer of pink light, traveling through her own dimension far into the future.

But she was still here.

“Please,” she begged, the lump growing in her throat as she watched the Silver Crystal disappear from Serenity’s hand, and the Queen’s head fall back as her strength gave out, body slumping over on the broken piece of the Moon Palace.

“Don’t leave,” she pleaded once more, though it was futile. The Queen was gone, the people gone, the Kingdom was dead beyond the doors.

And she was still here, cold and alone.

~ _SMH_ ~

“ _MICHIRU!”_ Uranus cried again, still frozen over the body of her lover.

They had won? Hadn’t they? Any moment now Sailor Moon would come, and the heart crystal would return to Neptune, and all would be well.

But no one came. Her breath hitched in her throat. This wasn’t how it had happened. This wasn’t…or was it?

One way or the other they were dead. She recalled as she was suddenly standing frozen before the large command center in Miranda Castle, watching as the video links from Triton and Charon cut out as Galaxia killed their commanders with a girlish laugh and a twitch of her hand. And suddenly she was watching helpless from within her own mind as she raised a hand to Sailor Moon, Galaxia’s bracelet on her wrist, as an attack burst forth from her palm, knocking the princess to the ground.

 _Stop this_! she thought, shivering. How was she still in Galaxia’s clutches?

Was Michiru really dead?

And Setsuna?

Suddenly she was in the air again, watching as Time Stop gave her enough time to escape the Helicopter before it, and Sailor Pluto exploded.

So they had always been dead. The how truly didn’t matter. She shivered again. And she was still Galaxia’s prisoner.

Why couldn’t she be dead too?

Were those happy times, flickering at the edge of her consciousness, just a fanciful dream?

~ _SMH_ ~

Neptune watched as Sailor Uranus fell beside her onto the hard surface of the Moon, unresponsive no matter how Neptune shouted at her. She watched the Sailor fuku fade even as the cold might of Saturn’s power swept overhead and as she faded, the sight of Princess Uranus lifeless face was the last thing she saw.

Where was Uranus? She was suddenly fifteen again, battling a youma with little idea of how to conjure the power of the sea. When the attack finally did leave her hand, exploding the monster in a puff of steam, she sank to the ground, watching the heart crystal that emerged from within the beast crack down the middle, its owner one of her own classmates who lay unmoving some feet away.

The strange fighting uniform dissolved around her and she felt the dirt of the ground sting her scrapped knees and clenched her fists around the strange henshin wand in her lap.

Where was Uranus?

She shivered. Uranus was not there, she realized as time whipped by, more and more youma falling under the ever-increasing power of her attacks. Eventually she could even save the heart crystals.

Though someday that small grace too would be taken from her. She knew her mission, to find the pure hearted ones.

 _But surely Uranus is here by now_ , she thought as the scene again changed, and she saw the Aqua Mirror appear from her own heart crystal.

Oh the irony.

She shook her head. She had found Uranus. She had. _Surely_ she had. It was not just she and Pluto alone. It was not just her alone.

She watched as the galactic bracelets with their strange obsidian crystals melded seamlessly around her wrists, and raged as her powers were used against the very princess she’d tried so long to protect…alone.

 _No!_ she thought. _Uranus was there! And Pluto. And I had a team…a family. I wasn’t alone._

But everything was cold and she was back on the surface of The Moon again watching Sailor Uranus disappear before her eyes.

_Maybe all the rest was a dream._

And clearly something cold had woken her up.

~ _SMH_ ~

“I wanna get off!” Makoto shouted in a voice that seemed too high, too young, too far away to be her own.

The cold hand of the Social worker grabbed her under the chin. And they glared at her. “Be quiet!” they snapped, fixing the seatbelt around her waist even as she squirmed and fought. “Now we have to get you back to Tokyo. I know you’ve been through a lot. But be a big girl.” They said. “And _don’t_ make a fuss. You’ll disturb the other passengers.”

Suddenly the great big plane lurched forwards and she shivered, hugging her knees. Was this what Mama and Papa had felt like before…

As the craft rumbled down the runway her breath came quicker and quicker and spots clouded her vision. The pressure built up in her ears and even when the beastly thing leveled out and the shaking lessened she did not lift her head.

“Look, see.” The social worker who’d come to collect her from their summer home said. “It’s alright.”

But she didn't want to look out at the sky. All she could concentrate on was the seatbelt entrapping her in the uncomfortable chair and the pressure boring down on her ears. And she wanted her mum, and her dad.

But they weren’t coming back.

“You’ll be home soon,” The social worker said with a long suffered sigh.

 _I’ll never be home again_.

~ _SMH_ ~

Ami needed to transform. What ever this creature was it had already taken down Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna…

The strongest of them.

 _What chance do I have?_ She shivered, someone was shouting in here ear far away, as if she were underwater. She knew what they were saying…transform. But the henshin wand slipped from her frozen fingers.

_Cold doesn’t usually affect me this much…except for…_

Suddenly the creature hovering before her had a new face, a blank skull covered in the same ragged robes, and its rotting hands were bones long since blackened by time.

Its eyes still seemed so alive.

She shivered. She was _not_ on Nemesis. She was not. She was…she was…

The beige and white school uniform off to her side drew her eye and she tried to call out. She coughed.

_I can’t breathe!_

Makoto lay unmoving on the blackened ground, dark crystals growing out of the walls dangerously close to her. Beyond her Rei lay unconscious too, all of them watched by the sunken eyes of the phantom.

 _I don’t want to die here,_ she thought as she clutched at her throat with frozen fingers, gasping in Nemesis thin, alien air.

~ _SMH_ ~

“Rei!”

Mina’s frantic voice was muted in her ears, drowned out by the roar of battle all around her.

 _This hasn’t happened_ , she understood, trying to summon her fire to combat the cold creeping into her bones. But somehow even those powers were lost to her – flickering candles where she needed an inferno. She jumped as something exploded nearby. _Where am I?_ she thought, as everything around her spun, and spun, and spun.

Visions blended with memories before her eyes. Princess Serenity: dead in the center of that great battle with Endymion’s corpse beside her. Sailor Moon: again on her knees, crying over the explosions of spell-fire as she crouched over another body, different this time. Rei strained to make out their features.

 _Is this the future_?

It didn’t feel like a future vision at all. She shivered as the old dreams of apocalypses swirled through her mind. The Death Busters, the Dead Moon, _Galaxia_.

 _She’s gone_. She reminded herself firmly, clinging to her fire, any fire. It was _so_ cold.

A flash of orange nearby, the crack of a whip, and – her stomach churned – Mina’s scream. She stumbled forwards and fell, ankle throbbing with real pain, and dragged herself with her arms. _Minako_.

She could hear her shouting, the words incoherent, though in truth she could hear many people shouting: curses, swears, cries of pain. Her own ankle continued to throb as she crawled along the dirty, cracked stone floor. She was at Hogwarts. Sailor Moon’s cries of “ _Mamo-chan_!” called out from far along the embattled corridor.

“Venus Love and Beauty SHOCK” she watched Venus whip the heart-link chain around, felling four wizards, but not fast enough to stop the dark spell that slammed into her from above. She screamed as the orange senshi crumbled, a dark figure floating down from the floor above…

_This is a dream…this has to be._

_“MINA_ ”

But it didn’t feel like a dream at all.

 

~ _SMH_ ~

“Venus Eternal Make-Up!” she felt the cold creeping up on her as her robes melted away, becoming the bright orange fuku.

“Rei!” she shouted, but her fellow senshi had fallen back against the seat of the carriage, eyes closed, and her henshin wand had rolled quite a ways across the floor.

And there were still the five creatures – now solely focused on her.

Sailor Venus reached out, the blackthorn wand already formed into the Love Whip in her hand. She cracked it and spun it outwards. “Venus Love and Beauty SHOCK!” She cried, lashing out at the five monsters.

The converging circle of dark creatures screeched and fell back – just enough that she could kneel and shake those closest to her. “Makoto! Ami!” But it was futile. Makoto was a ball on the floor of the carriage, Ami, it seemed, had fainted, and the three outer senshi were too far away and too far gone…

“ _Depluso!_ ” she cried, energy from the spell rushing through the Love Whip. “ _Confundus!”_ but the charms had no effect as they rattled off the chain links into the monsters. “Sailor Moon!” she shouted. Sailor Moon wasn’t in front of her. “Now would be a good time to…” but as she whipped around her heart sank. Sailor Moon was not behind her either. Instead it was only Usagi with her arms wrapped tightly around her waist and her head tilted down. She stared at her shoes.

“Mamo-chan,” she cried, shivering. Venus’ heart sank.

 _What the hell is happening to them_? She growled as one of the five creatures soared in close to Usagi and shot off another attack. “Love Chain ENCIRCLE!” The whip wrapped once, twice, around the closest monster. She grinned as it keened in pain, and jerked the whip to the left, knocking the monster into two more of the others.

But they only wavered for a second, flying back a mere couple of paces.

“Usagi!” She cried. At least she was still standing – still fighting, still reachable. Venus grabbed her shoulder and shook. “You need to transform.”

“Mamo-chan is dead,” Usagi whispered.

“He is not!” she insisted, eyes darting away from the monsters as she shook Usagi again. “He’s alive. He’s missing. He’s coming back to you. _How many times do I have to tell you?”_

“All this time it was Seiya,” she whispered, hugging herself tighter.

Venus drew back with a start and then dragging both of them down to the now frost-covered floor as one of the creatures swooped in to close. “Crescent Beam!” she shouted and blew a hole through the roof as her attack scorched the monster’s robe, chasing it out of the carriage. Another crack of the whip sent the others into retreat as well and she turned towards Usagi. They would be back. She could still feel their icy presence. And Usagi was thinking of…Seiya?

 _She’s dreaming!_ Venus realized. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to Usagi before raising her hand and bringing it down across Usagi’s cheek. Her friend’s head snapped to the side and the bright red mark stood out on her pale face.

“Mamo…Mina.” She whispered again, her eyes were slightly clearer. Venus nearly cheered even as the floor under their feet froze solid. She glanced around, shivering. Four of the monsters had reentered the carriage – one from each side. She kept Usagi close, cracking the whip around them.

“Rolling Heart Vibration! Wink Chain Sword!” She cried out together, Flitwick’s linked-spell theory in mind. The pulse of orange magic rushed out of her and through Usagi, into the creatures who reeled back as if burned. They hissed as the whip then formed the powerful blade that drove them back with its wild arcing slashes.

“Mina-chan…” Usagi whispered more clearly.

 _I’m getting through!_ she thought.

“Galaxia’s gone!” she shouted as she dragged the both of them away from another monster, chasing it away with the whip. “You’ve got to transform quick – I need you!”

“What…what?” Usagi gasped as if seeing for the first time and shouted out at the sight of two of the creatures barreling towards them.

Venus kept them back with another Love and Beauty Shock and raised her hand to catch a third when she felt something rotten and _freezing_ wrap around her wrist, squeezing until the whip fell from her grasp. She pushed Usagi away as the fifth monster came up through the floor, rotten hands grasping her face as its hood slipped off. She screamed and kicked at the sight of the eye-less, dead face beneath, a dark mouth open wide as it lowered towards her.

“Crescent Beam,” she coughed, her voice failing her. As though the breath itself were being sucked from her lungs. She felt her powers flickering as her body slackened in the creature’s grip. The Venus crystal at her chest began to burn as cold overtook her.

“Venus!” Usagi shouted, standing up as the five creatures swarmed in on the Love Senshi. She gasped when one grabbed Venus’ face and lowered its head as though to kiss her, a bright orange light draining out of her as the other creatures huddled nearby.

“NO!” she shouted, throwing herself towards them. She knocked two a side and slammed into Venus, pushing her fellow senshi to the ground and out of harms way. The rotten, frozen hands closed around her throat and she clawed at them, trying to wrench free. “Stop hurting them,” she gasped, struggling to concentrate as the sound of Galaxia’s laughter once again filled her ears, giggling over the soft breeze that blew Mamoru away into nothingness.

Usagi’s eyes drifted down to Venus then. _Mamo’s not here, but Venus is. All my friends are…and they need me._ Venus Sailor fuku was flickering and she lifted her head, struggling to right herself. Usagi felt the rush of cold air and knew the other creatures were moving in.

 _This has to stop._ Usagi screamed. “Silver Crystal Power!”

The crystal in her brooch reacted, white light exploded forth from it, consuming the freezing carriage, her fallen friends, and the creatures. She felt the hands around her neck crumble away as the cold retreated.

~ _SMH_ ~

All the Hogwarts students gathered round as the blinding of white light faded.

Harry Potter was the first of them to charge forwards, following it to its source with his fellow Gryffindors close at his heels.

In the epicenter, was the carriage, apparently untouched save several, heart shaped scorch marks that had burnt through the wood. Harry wrenched open the back door and leaned in, staring.

Inside were the transfer students, thoroughly shell-shocked. Minako held Rei’s head in her hands as she whispered to her, and close by Makoto was shaking her head, mumbling, Ami’s hand on her shoulder as she rubbed her throat.

Across from them, was Usagi Tsukino, kneeling before the blond Slytherin seventh year as the older student clutched tightly to her hand.

And beside them, Harry’s eyes widened, a silver hare had its front paws extended, resting on the arms of the other Slytherin and the Muggle Studies professor, both looking shaken and pale.

He only had a few moments to see before they all looked towards him, Usagi as well. The Hare vanished immediately.

 _She can cast a patronus_! he thought, stunned.

“What were those things?” Usagi demanded, a fierce look in her blue eyes.

“They were…dementors,” Harry started. “You’re…alright?”

“I, uh.” Usagi shivered. “I think so.”

“What kind of Patronus was that?” Ron exclaimed from Harry’s side. “I mean, where are the dementors?”

Harry’s eyes drifted to five strange piles of ash on the carriage floor. “How did you do that?”

“Magic,” Usagi snapped. “What did those…things do?” she said, getting to her feet and helping the Slytherin ( _Haruka_ , Harry remembered) up with her.

“They show your worst memories,” Hermione said as she too joined the students staring into the carriage. “You’ve never heard of them before?”

“And I thought the mirrors were bad,” Haruka muttered, making the listening Hogwarts students frown. Hermione looked about to ask, but held her tongue. “How long was I down?” Haruka asked.

“Barely a minute or two,” Minako said.

Harry recognized the far away look on her face – Sirius often bore one much the same.

“It felt so much longer,” Haruka murmured.

Harry glanced around. Everyone looked a little shaken, and Hogsmeade was close enough to count the individual chimneys carrying the smoke from warm fires up into the sky.

“Chocolate,” Harry said. “We should get to Hogsmeade, and get some. Chocolate always helps,” he informed the scouts. “We could round up the thestrals.”

“Unlikely,” Hermione said. “Most of us can’t even see them, Harry.”

“Can’t see them?” Michiru frowned, but shrugged it off. “Well you don’t want to anyways they’re dreadful looking.”

She was still too distracted to notice many of the students shocked faces, and so were Ami and Minako as they leaned out of the carriage and scanned around.

“Even if you could see them they’re long gone.” Ami said. “Why is that anyways?”

“Can you…all…see them?” Hermione frowned.

“Err,” Usagi glanced around. “Should we…not see them?”

Harry sighed. “Chocolate first.”

“I second that,” Usagi declared as she wrapped one arm around Ami and led the way out of the battered carriage. Slowly, the shaken mass of students made their way on foot the rest of the way to Hogsmeade

~ _SMH_ ~

Mme. Rosemerta had been there for every Hogwarts gathering Three Broomsticks had hosted for the last decade or so. Usually they were jovial affairs, and the sound dampeners would have to be renewed over all the booths lest the volume of noise get even more outrageous.

So it was immediately apparent that something was wrong when the entire school’s worth of Hogsmeade visitors packed their way into the pub near-silently, a few subdued murmurs making their way through the crowd. She couldn’t quite find her voice as they greeted her with half-hearted waves and tired faces, filing in an almost orderly fashion into the booths. Someone even went as far as to put some well-placed expansion charms at all the tables as she wondered whether all of them would fit.

“Er…” And there was Harry Potter himself, glancing around with his finger counting the overwhelming number of students. “Can we have a round of Hot Chocolates please…for everyone.”

“You can just do it by table,” Augusta’s boy suggested as he set about lining up empty drink trays along the counter. “Each one has about 20 people, I think.” He added helpfully.

“There were Dementors,” Potter explained. “If anyone can’t pay it’s on me.”

She stammered out a response. _Dementors again?_ She’d thought she’d eventually gotten through to Cornelius two years back, but apparently not. Yes, hot chocolates for all of them. She flicked her wand at the shelves of glasses and sent them all flying down to the cauldron of chocolate she kept simmering each winter. _I’ll need at least two more_ , she thought and flicked her wand again, this time at the pantry. The necessary ingredients soared out and over to the prep counter. One more thing, she thought as the first round of drinks filled up one of the trays. The two Weasley twins were already approaching the counter and she had no doubt what they wanted.

“The round’s on the house dear,” She told Potter as she set the large glass bottle down on the counter top. The Weasley boys grinned. “But this you pay for.”

“We’ve got it.” the twins announced.

“No one under seventeen!” She warned them as she poured out several shots to add to the cocoa.

~ _SMH_ ~

"Here," George said, passing three glasses of cocoa across the large booth to their seventh year classmates and professor. "Shots of fire whiskey in those."

Haruka nodded and tilted it back immediately wincing as the cocoa burnt her tongue. Despite it, she immediately felt a bit better. "The hell were those things?" she demanded as around their enlarged table the scouts and several other D.A. members took their first sips of chocolate.

"Dementors," Fred said. "Nasty pieces of work. They're prison guards."

"They have jobs?" Makoto deadpanned further down the table. "Surely they're dark creatures."

"You watch,” Ron grumbled. “ _The Prophet_  tomorrow will have some story about them going rogue or bet they’ll find some way to blame you, Harry.”

“Do they have that effect on everyone?” Ami asked quietly.

It was quiet a few moments before Harry spoke up. “Me. I hear Voldemort killing my parents every time they're close,” he said and several D.A. members began to whisper amongst themselves before Ginny told them to “Stuff it.”

"And me," Neville added so quietly only their table could here. “Death Eaters came after my parents too. They survived but… I’d be happy if I never had to hear it again. I would’ah fainted the first time I saw them if Mr. Lupin hadn’t woken up when he did. Got used to them being around, but,” he shrugged to hide a shiver. “It never got easier to hear.”

"They feed on happiness," Hermione added. "And people affected, they can only ever recall their worst memories or feelings when they're around.” She gave a pointed look to the Fifth year scouts. Surely one would hint at what was so bad in their past… but she willed herself not to ask.

“You all must have – Ow!” Ron’s own question was interrupted as Hermione kicked him. It was rude, she whispered for herself and for him.

“Know plenty of aurors that keep their nastier memories in a pensive for this very reason,” George told the scouts.

"It was lucky you could produce a patronus," Harry told Usagi. “But...usually they only drive them back. How did you kill them?"

Usagi shrugged “I guess I am just a natural at patronuses,” she laughed.

“What did you think of?" Hermione asked. Surely that was a safe question. “Harry has to think of a really happy thought to cast one even marginally that strong.”

Usagi stared into her mostly empty glass, considering. "It wasn’t really a happy thought...” she looked at Mina. “I don’t think I could think of a happy thought at that moment. It was just...” she smiled at Mina. “You reminded me, not to give up again.”

“I didn’t need to remind you,” Mina scoffed. “You've never given up.”

“I have though,” Usagi reminded her, hand going to the brooch that hung around her neck. “Way back when...” she got a far away look in her eye as she pondered. “It was such a different time and place.” As she spoke all the scouts froze, realizing what she might be referring too. “I wasn’t strong then.” And then her smile was back on her face. She looked around the table at all of them. “But you all taught me how to keep going,” she said. “You gave me strength.”

The Hogwarts students around the table take in the obviously touching moment with immense curiousity. Hermione shifts in her seat, dying to know what things Usagi is referring to. And they all wonder at the looks on the exchange students’ faces; all of them seem far too bittersweet to belong to teenagers – and certainly far too reverent to be directed at someone like Usagi. Hogwarts had only ever seen such expressions directed at one other. But what had Usagi done to warrant the kind of looks the Order directed at Dumbledore?

The blond herself seemed to sense the questions of their new friends as she broke the circle of fond smiles first, glancing around and laughing as she slapped one hand against the wooden table. “Besides! I wasn’t going to let those things kill me without one more chance to beat Ami’s score at the arcade!” she declared. “Oh! I miss it so much! And worse, Shingo’s got the whole year to practice.” She pounded her fist into the table. “The moment I get back to Tokyo, I’m making sure I get my top score back.”

“Oh! A good round with a racing game would be such a good way to blow off steam right now,” Minako joined in earnestly, jumping in on the opportunity to change the subject. “I nearly had Haruka beat before we left.”

“You were no where close,” Haruka said cracking her knuckles. “Though I am gonna be wicked rusty after the year’s over.” She looked at Setsuna. “Why is it again that they don’t have electricity here?”

“From all my research it’s hard to get most things to work,” Setsuna said. “The Wizarding Wireless is a unique example of an integrated technology. It can produce both the local non-magical and wix radio signals – the only technology I know of that can produce both.

“That’s because Wizarding Wireless doesn’t run on electricity,” Hermione said. “Wizarding radios don’t have the electrical components – everything’s been re-done with charmed mechanical parts. I thought it was just that electricity didn’t work around magic, but then I had a talk with your Dad, Ron.” She said.

“When?”

“Over the summer, of course. He’s been studying Electricity you know, I gave him some books that might help him understand the more advanced concepts. _Anyways_ , he had this theory that magic and electricity…” she pondered a moment. “Oh bother it’s hard to explain. They have different frequencies,”

“Vibration patterns,” Ami tried to explain though this seemed lost on most students.

Ron stared hard at his wand. “But it doesn’t vibrate.”

“Not noticeably no, but it’s how both energies move and work and travel – but the vibrations are so small you’d never notice.” Hermione said in a rush. “In any case, that’s sort of why electricity doesn’t work in highly magical spaces. See – electrical energy’s contained within electrical systems – like your father’s car.” She nodded to the Weasleys. “Whereas magical energy is more ambient. So if there’s a lot of it in one area, it starts to interfere with the other energy around it.”

“So, basically,” Mina thought. “Say I brought a torch to Hogwarts – the system would be workable but the energy outside would what? Block the electricity?”

“Or short out the bulb,” Hermione said. “Now of course, it can’t possibly be an insurmountable obstacle. I think Mr. Weasley’s on the right track to figuring out how to integrate the two energies. You just have to find a way – a charm say, or a warding system, to protect electrical systems or even use magic to power them.

“A way to convert the frequencies.” Setsuna jumped in, startling Hermione out of her speech. “Perhaps combining them would require a series of spells or potions that converted wix energy into stellar or vice versa.” They watched as she continued to ramble, muttering almost to herself as her brows furrowed and her fingers drummed across the table. “But if both systems allow for ambient flow of energy then the logical first step would be to reinforce existing pathways for output and perhaps augment those more frustrated effects with wixian equivalents to…guide the flow of both magics. Perhaps giving them the opportunity to combine…” Suddenly Setsuna’s head snapped up, her eyes were gleaming. “Of course!” And with a sudden pop, that startled Haruka and Michiru on either side of her, vanished from the table.

“W-what was that?” Neville stammered.

“I think she had an idea,” Makoto said. “And then…has she always been able to disappear like that.”

“That was definitely apparition.” George filled her in. “You’ve never seen her do it before?”

“Seems ll brother of mine, since she’s always at Hogwarts,” Fred said then explained. “Can’t apparated within the castle grounds.”

“Most people can’t apparated sitting down either,” Ginny pointed out.

Haruka sighed and took another swig of Hot cocoa. “Great. Another way she can disappear on a whim.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Shortly after Setsuna’s departure the Heads of House had come rushing through the doors of Three Broomsticks to check on the students. They’d remained for the duration of the afternoon paying a close eye on the transfer students in particular, following them around the village at a noticeable but respectable distance with as Mcgonagall put it an eye out for any more “Ministrial Meddling.” and when it was time to return to the castle.

The tired Hogsmeade goers had tumbled out of the carriages and trudged up the main stairs and into the Great Hall where _The Evening Prophet_ was already circling, trying to ensure that the accepted version of today’s excitement happened.

From her place at the High Table, Setsuna could see the range of student reactions to the press release. And she had to say, she concurred whole heartedly with the hall-wide murmurs of disbelief and disgust.

**Rogue Dementor in Hogsmeade. Swiftly Dispatched by Hogwarts Professor.**

_The regularly scheduled Hogsmeade weekend was minorly disrupted this morning by the appearance of a rogue dementor along the route to the village. The creature scared many of the students so badly that some swore there was more than one (though this reporter stresses that only one dementor was reported as missing from Azkaban, and it can safely be assumed that the children were simply overwhelmed by the creature). The situation was quickly handled by the powerful Patronus of a Hogwarts professor._

_The escape of said Dementor is currently being investigated by the Department of Magical Creatures and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Minister Fudge says that a staff member at Azkaban has been determined as a person of interest and has been suspended as the investigation proceeds._

"How convenient," Setsuna muttered with a hint of disgust as she reviewed the short article on the second page. “It’s barely happened and the situation is magically resolved.”

On her right side, Professor Sinistra snorted “Usually only my muggleborn first years try to get away with that joke.” She peered at her own copy of the paper. “I hope they have caught whomever let the beasts out: imagine dementors running around willy-nilly.”

“I question that more given the other misinformation,” Setsuna said as she took a sip of Pumpkin juice. “Only one dementor,” she muttered as she rolled the glass between her fingers.

“Well...” Sinistra thought. “Perhaps it’s just written that way to keep the public calm. One dementor is a scare, but five disappearing unnoticed – why I imagine that’d make the minister look bad. And Fudge is known for his obsession with his public image.”

“Hmm,” Setsuna shrugged. Misinformation in any form belied larger secrets in her book.

“In any case they’re gone now,” Sinistra continued. “I’m stunned you dispatched five on your own.”

Setsuna was an even better liar than Michiru and her smile betrayed nothing of the true events. “I was lucky to notice their approach before they got too close.”

Beside Sinistra, Severus Snape hummed. “Surprised Potter didn’t take the opportunity to show off his own Patronus, arrogant as he is.”

“Oh would you lay off the boy, Severus,” Rolanda Hooch snapped, leaning around Setsuna to glare at the potions master. “It wouldn’t have been ‘showing off.’ Potter's ability to cast was quite an asset two years ago.”

“When he saved that criminal mongrel, you mean,” Severus muttered.

Hooch let out a short bark of laughter. “If you still believe that, you’re more delusional than _The Prophet_.”

They went on arguing about a man Severus would only refer to as “Black” with occasional mentions of a “Lupin.” Setsuna mostly tuned them out in favor of the plan she'd thought of during Hermione's lecture in the Three Broomsticks.

Different magical frequencies…

Sailor magic was not electricity. In fact it was much closer to Wix magic than electricity. The two needn’t be entirely separate, but they did need to some how be connected in order to work in tandem.  It was as if the normal channels that guided their sailor magic had been obstructed by the heavy presence of wix energy – much like electronics. If she understood correctly (and three days within the time dimension reading up on her theory suggested she was indeed correct) wix magic did not recognize the normal channels they used for their powers and was seeking other outlets, resulting in both magics becoming confused.

But rather like the radio, if she could show the wix magic how to flow the way sailor magic did naturally then presumably that magic could replicate the same effects...like future vision.

 _And with any luck eventually integrate with our normal magic…resulting in a higher power level…always a plus._ Rei had already shown an aptitude for combining both kinds of magic though she wasn’t doing it on purpose…

As she was pondering, a fizzle of energy split the air overhead and several teachers gasped and moved their plates away from falling bits of ash. Fawkes, in a young form with downy golden tufts sticking up all over him, squawked and circled over the teachers table, startling Setsuna when he landed abruptly on her right shoulder.  
"Hello again," Setsuna murmured to the beautiful creature, momentarily lost in the ancient animal's eyes: dark embers that burned with bright, fiery irises. She raised a bit of ham up to Fawkes, grinning as he spit a tiny flame at it and gobbled the now charcoaled treat. He chirped and leaned into her, bumping his hot, downy head into her palm.

The vision unfolded before her rapidly.

 _Dumbledore was standing before his office door "Custard Creams" he told the gargoyle and the giant statue began to groan as it shifted aside._ _She focused on the vision and moved to follow him._

_But as she reached the top of the stairs Dumbledore disappeared, and she walked through into a much different version of the office she’d seen over summer.._

_She was standing in the middle of the office proper, or what was left of it, for before her the room was littered with hundreds of smashed magical instruments._

_“I can't believe I trusted either of them now,” she heard a boy, Harry Potter, fuming, and then there he was standing beside her in the ruined office._

_“I trusted him too,” Setsuna whispered. She wanted to listen to more of that future conversation, but it was wrenched away, courtesy of the phoenix who left her shoulder with a sudden flap of his wings._

Setsuna watched it settle on the old headmaster's shoulder as he stood from his seat and spoke a few parting words to Mcgonagall and Flitwick.

He was going to his office. She recalled the first part of the vision and frowned.

Did Fawkes wish for her to follow the Headmaster?

“Excuse me,” she said to her neighbors. “I have some essays to grade.”

She arrived at the statue of the Gargoyle with no sign of Dumbledore – presumably he was already in his office. She stepped swiftly up the moving stairs.

The headmaster’s office door swung open of it’s own accord as she reached the top step and she moved through the threshold warily. Rarely did her experience portray inanimate objects reacting to movement in a positive light.”

At the desk was the headmaster himself. He looked up from some parchment he was reading with a twinkle in his eye and gestured to one of the empty chairs across the desk.“Lemon Drop?” He asked in lieu of greeting.

“No thank you.” She said, stepping in front of the chair but making no further move to sit. She crossed her arms and looked at young Fawkes, preening his feathers on his ash-laden perch. “You wanted to see me.”

“Indeed. I am quite glad you and Fawkes there have such good communication. He doesn’t respond to many people so well.

“Is this about the dementors,” she said cutting to the chase. “Why did they only report one? Have they found out who –” but even as she spoke the headmaster was holding up a hand and shaking his head.

“Alas, I know little more than you as to the motive for the under reporting. However, as to the identity of the culprit…” He steepled his fingers and leaned towards her, bracing his elbows on the desk. “I have my own theories…which I am you do as well.”

“Umbridge,” Setsuna said immediately. “She was in the room when I announced we were going to Hogsmeade. And she has access to the ministry.”

“Harry Potter has been speaking to you, then?”

When she frowned, Dumbledore continued. “Two dementors were set upon he and his muggle cousin this past summer. He and I suspect Umbridge released them in order to keep him from returning to Hogwarts at whatever cost”

“I believe she is capable,” Setsuna said slowly. “Though as to her motive...”

“Alas, the motive is a fairly simple one – you.” Dumbledore said, conjuring a tea-service.

Setsuna only stared at him as he poured hot water into one of the cups. “I beg your pardon.”

“You know the past two years, I’ve had Charity Babidge changing the face of Muggle Studies. I actually had students excited for the glass. And yet you have taken the course so much farther than she did in just a short time.”

In this he caught her off guard, for Dumbledore rarely complimented anyone. She was unsure whether she could trust it.

And the Headmaster wasn’t done. “Morgana Avery, of all students, speaks highly of you, according to Severus. And your mid-year assignment is both humbling in its intent and shocking in its scale.” He waved his hand and a small stack of paper floated up to her. “And it has my approval.”

She scanned the page only briefly before looking back at him “What does this have to do with Umbridge perceiving me – or my students – as a threat?”

Dumbledore sipped a heavy sip of tea before responding. “Well consider this: as the advisor to the exchange program, you are technically not on Hogwarts pay roll, and are mostly free of Ministry restrictions. His eyes glinted. “Ergo, Ms. Umbridge cannot ever fire you and is fully aware of it. You are an uncontrollably variable in an environment she and the ministry desperately wish would fall into line with them.”

“And you say she’s attacked Potter too.”

“Oh nothing is worse for Minister Fudge’s interests than a volatile Wizarding hero claiming the return of a Dark Wizard. Cornelius is loath to admit the situation is out of his control and keenly aware the damage that boy could do to his career. And so, for that matter, is Dolores who relies on the minister’s power for her own.” He took another sip of tea. “So you see, to a woman who wishes to uphold Wizarding superiority and to a ministry that does not like to poke at false assumptions, the class you are running is a threat. As are your students, who have spent far more of their formative years in the muggle world than any child here. I dare say Dolores is afraid they’ll begin corrupting magic with muggle things. And the ministry fears the many pureblooded assumptions that the curiosity of children can anger.”

Setsuna fumed. “While this discussion of your politics has been insightful it still does not satisfy my curiosity about _why_ she is allowed to set monsters like that on children.”

“The rules that have been set for her are vague and mostly unwritten,” Dumbledore answered. “She has quite a bit of power. I’m not asking you to cease your teachings. In fact I encourage you to keep teaching as you have – generate thought and opinion as is the purpose of the best classes. He leaned across the desk as he spoke though, eyes serious. “But do be careful.”

She gave him a nod in lieu of a promise. Dolores Umbridge was not frightening to her. And took her leave.

“Oh, and Prof. Meioh,” Dumbledore called as she was opening the office door. “I didn’t mention…your owl about the attacks reached us in record time.” He said. “Why, i’d almost hazard a guess it took no time at all.”

She stared at him a while and he responded with the same good-natured smile. He did not appear a threat. Still no time at all.

 _Idiot,_ she cursed herself _in such a rush to get the faculty out to investigate that you miss-judged the time._ She was tempted to blame this too on Wix magic but had to count it as her own failure. Even now, her brain still felt heavy from her experience with the dementor.

“I was lucky,” she says. “It was a very fast owl.” And as Dumbledore chuckles with a fair bit of disbelief she wishes him goodnight.

All eight of her friends were waiting at the bottom of the spiraling stairs. She cocked her head at them. How had they known she’d be here.

"Mirror," Michiru explained, holding up the talisman. "You disappeared quite quickly. Something wrong?”

Setsuna shook her head. “No. We just need to be more careful…of Umbridge and the Headmaster. I am still unsure of him BUT and she raised her hand, summoning the giant tome she’d bought in Diagon alley earlier. It landed in Ami’s grasping hands and fell open to the page she’d marked earlier “I may have worked out a way to get our future sight back." she said looking between all of them. "A potion” she said as she lead them down the hall towards her quarters. Ami and several others cast the muffling charm around them – with a clever additional word from Ami so that the sound barrier would follow as they walked.

That settled, their resident bookworm began to read a loud.

 **“** Draught of Clairvoyance,” she said and moved so that Rei could read over her shoulder. “Grants the user the ability to glimpse the future in their dreams. It needs…oh dear…four weeks to brew,” she said as the group groaned. “Needs a windowless environment…3 milli grams of diced saffron, the essence of myrtle, ground dragon knuckle bones (all one type for the best results) and ash of a phoenix. also to include a gram of evenly shredded silverweed and .valerian root.”

"Mmm." Makoto leaned in “there’s a lot of steps in here…I miiiight be able to make this go a bit quicker – three weeks not four.”

"Does that mean we could see…” Usagi shifted nervously, wringing her hands "Mamo-chan. By Christmas?”

Setsuna sighed. "That is the hope." she looked between Usagi and Ami “How is the search through Ravenclaw Library going?"

"Nowhere." Usagi groaned. “There's just too many books"

"I’ve worked through most of the sections on spiritualism, reincarnation theory, and truth seeking charms. “Ami sighed "It’s all as fascinating as it is unhelpful."  
well all pitch in more." mina decided

“Yes," Ami said "if we have to read every book we will"

Usagi groaned

~ _SMH_ ~

The appearance of the dementors lingered on the minds of the students as the second week of November dragged on. Not even Harry's particularly dynamic session of the D.A on Wednesday night – a fake obstacle course – could cheer the mood, though his idea to teach the Patronus Charm before Christmas proved a popular one.

“The last class before break," Harry promised them.

“Why not now?" Zacharius protested.

“Cause," harry said. "You'll be rubbish at it with the dementor fresh on your mind. You need to be in the right frame of mind the first time you attempt it. Err.. cause it can be hard.”

“It's hard to shake them," George commented. "Blimey, fifth year was, bad but they were right over us this time. I remember after that one Quidditch match I was shivering for weeks.”

"Quidditch!" Minako exclaimed, clapping her hqnds. "When's the pitch free?” She hollered across the Room of Requirement at Angelina

“It's booked all weekend.” The Gryffindor Captain said.

“But tomorrow’s only Thursday. Is it free tomorrow night?”

“Yeaaaas..." angelina said.

"Okay." Mina grinned. “Gather everyone together who'd be interested - I have an idea!"

~ _SMH_ ~

Minerva Mcgonagall liked her nights off from Patrol to do as she pleased. And that meant that in the hours before the student curfew she could not be reached – busy as she was grading their poor attempts at academic prose.

So it was that even when it was Rolanda Hooch barging into her office and leaning over the back of her chair, she protested the disruption of her routine.

"I have work to do,” she grumbled. Hooch though was still turning her chair away from the desk "No I’m serious. My fourth years have made an absolute mess of the last essay and I'm already behind from chasing down all the Gryffindors who saw the dementors and ensuring the proud dimwits don’t need counseling.”

"Minerva _honestly_ the night is young enough that you can grade boring transfiguration work later.” Rolanda laughed. "Trust me, you'll like this better."

“And this would be,” she asked as Hooch let her down from her tower and out onto the grounds.

“Something we see far too little of these days,” Rolanda declared as she gestured out towards the Quidditch pitch. "Fun.”

Minerva was about to say that she'd seen enough practices of Quidditch in far less busy times when she recalled no one had booked the pitch that evening. And besides that, the number of black cloaks walking at a clip out towards the pitch was far too many for a practice. She squinted her eyes "is that Davies and Johnson?"

"And Stebbins," Rolanda added. "You might even notice a few greens spattered about"

"I might be going mad – no that is a _Slytherin.”_ She blinked once, twice, and quickened her pace because yes, that was indeed Avery, bobbling up and down in the middle of a pack of Ravenclaws. “What is this?"

Rolanda laughed “Surely you used to play pick up games?”

“I haven’t seen one in years?" she muttered and her pace quickened as she strode across the lawn. This she had to see.

“Take the box seats on the left," Rolanda advised “Best view of the whole pitch. I must say, I'm quite curious to as to how well they’ll work together."

"You're not reffing?" Minerva asked

Rolanda shook her head “They said they had someone.”

“OI EVERYONE!” Minako Aino’s voice suddenly blared across the pitch with the strength of Sonorus. There she was, hovering a few inches off the ground with a muggle megaphone in both hands. “LISTEN UP.”

The group took a few minutes of shushing eachother to actually listen but when they did, Minako passed the megaphone down to Lee Jordan and clapped her hands together.

"Alright!" Minako cheered. "As of now, all previous team affiliations are disbanded. And we need new team captains. I say...current captains pick."

Davies, Johnson and Stebbins looked between each other "Two teams with reserves," Davies suggested. "So two Captains"

"I vote captains be non-quidditch team members.” Stebbisn threw in. “Less likely to wind up with the status quo."

"I second," Angelina said. "And I'll go a step further." She turned to the crowd. "Tomoe,"

"Me!" Hotaru stared.

"Why not. just don’t keep all your friends to yourself," she said.

"I second," Davies said "Play your cards right and I’ll recruit you for the team next year.” He said, giving Hotaru a thumbs up. “Ravenclaw team's aging out, we need to start training newbies up.”

"I'm fine with it," Stebbins shrugged. “And also...Avery how bout you?”

"Me!" Morgana Avery looked aghast.

“Well sure you're here for a reason aren’t you? Never played Quidditch either."

"I've watched plenty!"

"Then… put that Slytherin brain to work.” Stebbins grinned. "What do you guys say?"

Angelina in particular sized Avery up a few moments "Why _are_ you here."

"Slytherin's a boys club the past few years alright!" she shrugged. "Hex me, i couldn’t care if you were muggles: Quidditch is Quidditch."

Angelina nodded. "Alright then, Davies?"

"Fine with it." he said

"Okay!" Minako clapped "Hotaru on the left. Morgana on the right. Youngest picks first."

Hotaru looked out over the crowd. "Haruka." she finally decided. an the slytherin did a fist pump.

"Thanks kid!" she grinned.

"Right, well I pick Potter." Everyone gaped at Avery who shrugged. "He's a seeking prodigy." She glared at Harry "Come on get over here."

He went with a pleading look towards Mina and Angelina and to snickering from the twins.

"Roger." Hotaru declared.

"Rei,"

And on it went from there. The students equally divided into two teams and plenty of eager onlookers. Makoto wound up on Hotaru's team and flew promptly to the hoops. She looked out over the pitch and took a moment to see it all.

She had practiced, sure, but Hufflepuf wouldn’t play its first game for another two weeks, and this was the fullest and most alive she had ever seen the pitch. Against the dusky orange of the clouds and the lingering red and pink light from the sun, it was breathtaking.

The two hundred yard long ellipsis spanned out towards the deep orange sunset, making the tall spectator towers cast deep shadows on the lawn. She breathed in the chilly air and checked that her wand was tucked firmly into her ponytail. Then she adjusted the guards on her arms and fidgeted on the broom - the best Cleansweep in the Hogwarts shed.

She hovered (as had become her habit) just above the three goals, perfectly positioned to dive towards one should it become vulnerable. Out on the field, Haruka tossed the quaffle up and down in her hands as she gave last minute tips to Hotaru, who was currently watching the little gold ball clutched tight in their referee – Lee Jordan's – hand.

She sized up the opposing chaser line. Morgana had put herself on point, Angelina on the left, and pulled in another up-and-coming Ravenclaw reserve – a plucky second year named Orla – as her right hand. She'd drafted Mina and Rei as beaters and Makoto was a little afraid of what those two might dish out between them. But she had Fred and George. They'd defend just fine from what she'd seen.

Katie Bell was shouting playful taunts from the front of her own line, and drawing the Ravenclaw Bradley into it as well.

It was different than practice already, Makoto decide as Lee ordered the chasers to the start line, the Hufflepuff team was so in sync, to the point they could predict each other's movements. these teams had none of that training. She relaxed her grip on the broom and leaned a bit forwards testing the broom's sensitivity to turns as she moved slightly from side to side. It was slower than Rei's Firebolt, but it had seen many nervous students learn to fly. She sensed it would be almost relieved to have a confident rider.

"ALRIGHT" Jordan shouted through the megaphone (an unwise joke gift from Katie Bell) "NOW, I want a nice CLEAN game," he said in a stern impression if Rolanda Hooch. Makoto caught Hotaru giggling as her eyes drifted upwards. She followed Hotaru’s gaze and grinned. There was the coach herself, and the Deputy headmistress with her, watching from far above the field. Makoto snorted, but turned her eyes away, attention focused back on Jordan and the quaffle.

"On my whistle – and by whistle, I mean when I shout at you, you move – Ready. Three. Two. "GOGOGO!"

At once the center line was chaos. Avery dove straight for the ball and Bradley swiped in from the side and the two knocked eachother around scrambling for possession. The bludgers were being lined up for an assist on Rei and Mina’s part when the tiny second year, Orla, swooped in from below the two warring chasers and deftly plucked the quaffle out of Bradley’s grasping hands. Then Orla was streamed down the field, outpacing a bludger from Minako by a hair, but not the return shot from Rei. The bludger knocked the quaffle out of her hands and Angelina recovered it, shouting at Avery to get back up the field. Then all at once a full Quidditch team was bearing down on Makoto's goal posts. She tightened her grip on the broom, noting the static racing along her fingers, and focused on the passing options. _Come on beaters_ , she prayed.

As the quaffle neared, George and Fred knocked the bludger away from Minako and Rei and successfully broke up the advance towards her. Orla fumbled the Quaffle, sending it hurtling towards the ground and Davies shot off to retrieve it, his nimbus easily making the dive. He raced it and the rest of the players back down the field.

And thus the game began and continued in a frenzy. Makoto let in three goals. Ron let in two. Davies swapped out for an over-eager Dean Thomas who _punted_ the Quaffle and Ron through the hoops. “ _I…think that’s legal_?” Lee Jordan exclaimed.

Due to the lack of syncronitity, the game remained very much neck-and-neck. Dean traded out for Davies again when Mina dislocated his shoulder with a well placed bludger. He was grinning though – he’d got another goal. A good make up for the three Morgana had slipped past Makoto before she’d wised up to the Slytherin’s feinting tells.

There’d been one scare. Harry’d entered a dive far too early for them to scrap by on Quaffle points. But the snitch had disappeared again. And he and Hotaru alternated between scanning the pitch and cheering their teams – in no real hurry to win.

They were up by 20 now. Ron was getting frustrated and Makoto was getting cocky. And Avery…Avery was getting snarky. A witty remark accompanied every one of her shots, goal or no.

It was time to use her own wit. Makoto flexed her hands, feeling the lightning coursing through them, and signaled George over as he sailed past after a bludger fight with Rei.

“Kino!” He wheezed. The other Gryffindor duo had been giving the twins a run for their money, sending them darting back and forth all over the field as they tried to out-pairwork eachother.

She lowered her voice lest it carry across the Avery’s team. “Tell Davies he's to beat me down field on their next attempt." George nodded and she rubbed her hands together, gathering up a sizzling mess of free electricity to pour into the Cleansweep. She'd done it by accident at practice. And had beat Bradley's American racing broom, the _Shadow Chaser_ , in a hundred meter dash.

But this would be more than 100 meters.

George passed the message on to Davies as he retreated to the center line for the next play. Davies looked over and nodded at her. She hoped it would work. His Nimbus was the fastest broom they had.

Angelina can hurtling down the field just as she’d predicted, dodging Haruka and Bradley and tuck-and-rolling away from a bludger shot just in time to send the ball towards the left most hoop.

Makoto held the broom between her knees and shot up towards it, easily catching the ball in her long, outstretched arms. She tucked it close, grasped the broom with both hands and checked Davies all in the span of two seconds.  
Then, channelling all the electricity gathered about her into the broom, she leaned forwards and rocketed away from the hoops at a speed too fast for Angelina or Morgana to match.

Roger barely outpaced her, dodging Orla as he soared behind the goals. She flew over them, dropping the quaffle into Davies hands as he popped it through Ron's un-guarded right hoop for a neat assist. She let out a whoop as he shot up to slap her hand.

The next play she thought Orla Quirke was trying the same trick as the blond shot towards the hoops from high overhead, quaffle in hand. There was Morgana behind the hoops – eyeing the left goal and drifting right. She'd feign to the center for sure. Makoto prepared her own counter move, eying Orla close.

The small Ravenclaw dropped the ball down into Morgana's arms and the Slytherin did indeed feign center, but then she tossed the ball gently out in front of her and – before Makoto could react – kicked it back up to Orla. The second year turned upside down on her broom in order to catch and throw it towards the right hoop.  
But she didn’t get the shot off in time. Haruka dove in from her side and spun her broom, sending the shot off course. A well placed bludger prevented Morgana from recovering it, and Makoto easily regained possession with a quick dive.  
"Nice flying!" she shouted at Orla. The young ravenclaw did a double take.  
"Um… Thank you." She said, tilting her head to the side as if trying to work out a foreign language.  
"Typical hufflepuff," Morgana grinned. "Ravenclaw's don’t compliment. They're always looking to one up each other. Watch that kid will be confused for days waiting for your next move."  
"My next move's to ask her to teach me that one." Makoto grinned.  
"Ha - good luck." Morgana snorted. But rather than the derogatory quip she expected the Slytherin shook her head. "I can't even do that."  
She caught both Haruka and the Weasleys doing a double take. Banter, it seemed, was not something they expected from Avery.  
They didn’t get long to question.  
"And Potter's entered another dive folks! We can only assume - YES - YES! POTTER HAS THE SNITCH. 150 TO ERR..." Lee looked up at Angelina.  
"The Le Fay folk!" Minako shouted "Get it: Morgana ‘Le Fay’"  
Half the team groaned including the namesake herself and Mina parried a bludger from Rei "What! It’s Catchy! And Hotaru’s team can be… They can be the...”  
"Come Back Kids!" Makoto said pounding s fist into her hand to a round of cheering from the stands. She glanced over: they'd gathered a sizable audience since coming down to the pitch. In the near dark she couldn’t make out the houses, but could see at least fifty new on lookers in the stands.  
"Not sure how easy a come back will be kiddos." Jordan shouted. “Sun's setting as I speak. and we don’t have night gear.”  
Just as a collective groan began throughout the pitch, the whole area suddenly lit up, as veritable flood lights blazed out of the fabric on the eight checkered towers around the pitch.  
"Jordan!" The familiar stern, Scottish voice hollered from a stand above the center line.  
"Yes My Queen!" Jordan hollered back. Makoto heard the Quidditch coach's distinctive laugh alongside Mcgonagall's reply  
"Play on!" she shouted, settling back in for the show.  
"Aye! Aye! Captain!" Jordan shouted as the whole pitch erupted in shrieks and cheers "RIGHT! You heard the boss: mix up the line-up, give me that snitch, Potter. And the quaffle - don't worry Johnson, love, you'll get it back. OI! WATCH THE NOSE. Alright. And somebody go wrangle that bludger. New game! I repeat: NEW GAME!"

In the end, they managed one more match before homework began to tempt first the Ravenclaws and then the others away. With renewed spirit, they trekked back to the castle. Hotaru riding on Haruka's shoulders as Michiru and Setsuna exclaimed about what a good flier she'd been. "You'll beat Harry next time," Setsuna said.

Their good mood lasted through the morning, when Ami and Makoto woke up early to check on the volatile beginning stages of the potion they’d set up in Setsuna’s room. Satisfied that it was the proper temperature, color, and viscosity, they headed down to breakfast with a spring in their step, Makoto exclaiming the whole way about the actual Quidditch game she’d nearly won the night before.

But no sooner had they arrived in the entrance hall than their mood evaporated, courtesy of the new placard that had been nailed above the stairs. One which they had noticed thanks to the crowd of angry and frustrated peers huddled underneath it.

 _Educational Decree 32,_ it read:

_All flight, is hereby banned outside of expressly approved quidditch practices and matches. see the Hogwarts High Inquisitor if you are unsure whether your practice or game qualifies._

"So pick up games don’t then," Davies fumed "What's it to her if we want to have a bit o' fun."

"Dunno mate," Ron Weasley said. He and Hermione both had a hand on Harry's shoulder as though her were a grenade and they were trying to hold the pin in place. Angelina and the other Gryffindor chasers had adopted a similar stance with the twins.

"Bloody bonkers is what it is,” George cursed.

"Is she against all fun." Little Orla Quirke piped up from the back of the crowd.

"I don't think so," Hermione pondered. "I think she's more against house unity.”

And the gathering crowd all turned to her as they thought over those implications.

"Well really – what better way to ensure the school doesn’t unite against the ministry than by keeping us all apart."

She had a point. A good one. One that had made it’s way to all of the D.A. and to members in every house but Slytherin by the end of the morning.

Friday’s Defense classes were unnaturally subdued. Usually at least one Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw wound up in detention. If nothing else than for being tardy. As it was, the entire first year class shuffled in on time, set their books down at their desk, and after the routine "Good afternoon professor" spent the duration of the lesson glaring at Umbridge stony and silent. Hotaru had never seen her whole class so whole-heartedly against Umbridge. Even the teachers’ pets bore expressions of unease. And it was reported that Orla Quirke got her first _ever_ detention.

Misbehavior and club approval were one class of irritating bureaucracy. But dictating what they should do with their precious free time was, it seemed, where the whole of the student body drew the line.  
"I just haven’t figured out how I want to make her miserable yet." Fred was heard saying at dinner.

"Plenty if ideas mind," George added.

"But none yet that seem fitting revenge."

The downtrodden-ness continued through Saturday at lunch when another rather un-expected message circulated through the student body. Not via Educational Decree, but by meat pasty.

"Wut-the." Ron Weasley frowned and rolled his tongue around his mouth, spitting something out into his hand.

"Ron!" Hermione complained in disgust.

"The hell is this?" Ginny whispered down the table, pulling something similar out of her own lunch with a fork

“It's a message!" Minako said as many Gryffindors - and all the Quidditch players - unfolded the note that had been baked into their lunch.

_Every other week the day the pitch is not booked, a notice-me-not charm shall go up at precisely 6:30. I presume this shall be suitable for your endeavors. And for God’s sake, keep your noses clean._

There was no signature. There didn’t need to be. They all recognized this writing from their Hogwarts acceptance letters. Harry Potter's jaw was practically on the table as he stared.

"Old Minny is pulling a prank," George whispered "Blimey! We've been a bad influence on her!"

The next week, the pitch was free Tuesday evening, and the very same motely crew made their way down with some trepidation. But just at 6:30, as Hotaru stepped over the boundary of pitch and entrance to the stands, a shimmering wall rose up and around the structure before vanishing, as thought it was not there at all.

~ _SMH~_

The rest of November – between Quidditch, the D.A., and ever increasing loads of Homework (not to mention the scouts own Saturday trainings) – passed by in barely any time. In fact the only hours that seemed to drag on any more were study sessions in the Ravenclaw library, as Ami, Hotaru, and whomever was free to help them scoured Ravenclaw’s personal collection for anything at all related to reincarnation, to detection, and even to ancient monarchies. But the promised clue to Mamoru’s identity remained as elusive as ever.

So it was the early December came and went and Usagi found herself resting her head on the index of a book and staring out towards the half moon as Ami sat down beside her.

“You read that whole book while I was gone?” Ami said, setting down a piping hot mug of cocoa before her. Usagi barely looked at it. Ami frowned. “Usagi?”

“I didn’t read the whole thing.” She sighed. “Just the index…I thought I could research like you do.” She sniffed. “But I don’t know half of these words even with this stupid charm.” She said, jerking the translation charm from around her neck and chucking in across the table.

Ami moved around to Usagi’s side and pulled her in for a hug. And Usagi collapsed towards her, curling her head under Ami’s chin.

School had been a blessing in that it kept her busy, Ami thought, but there was only so long Usagi could just push it all aside.

“It may not be today, or tomorrow.” She whispered the Usagi, feeling the blond tighten her hug. “But we _will_ find him.”

“I _know_ ,” Usagi mumbled tearfully. “But… I thought of something while I was studying.”

“Hmm.”

“Well what if, what if,” she sniffed. “What if he has a girlfriend?”

Ami blinked. That…that would indeed be a dilemma. “Well, well.” Where was Minako when you needed her? Ami sighed. “It could happen,” she admitted to Usagi. “But when he didn’t have his memories he’d dated other people. Just remember Rei.”

Usagi giggled. Oh good. Ami sighed in relief. “And you know who he always picked in the end. – You.”

Usagi squeezed her one more time and pulled away. “I guess you’re right, Ami-chan.”

“But it doesn’t really help,” Ami guessed. She pulled the thick book away from Usagi and pushed the cocoa towards her instead. “Don’t bottle it up. You’re allowed to worry. Besides.” Ami smiled. “When we checked on the potion today it was simmering nicely and it had turned an even purple color.”

“Uh…” Usagi scratched the back of her neck. “What does that mean?”

“It means it should be ready in a few days. And then they just have to drink it at the full moon.” Ami said. “So a week from now.”

“A week from now we might know who he is.”

“Or even just have a better idea how to find him” Ami said, smiling as Usagi picked up her cocoa. “One step at a time.”

“Okay.”

“Now, how’s about I finish looking through this,” Ami said, eyes already skimming down the tiny scrawling text.

Usagi’s bouts of uncertainty were thankfully few and far between but she couldn’t quite forget how much she’d bottled up when Galaxia had taken Mamoru. She’d pretended it was all fine until even she believed it. And it hadn’t worked in the end. Nor would it work now.

_We’ll all just have to make sure we stick close to her. Ami thought. Oh especially..with Christmas coming._

~ _SMH_ ~

Soon enough, early December had faded into mid December. Quidditch continued. Makoto’s first official game was a Hufflepuff success up until Cho Change snatched the snitch from under the bristles of their seeker’s broom. Their unofficial matches continued too, and the Patronus D.A. class became more and more exciting the closer it got to the last Wednesday before Christmas. For their own parts, the revelation of McGonagall undermining Umbridge to support their Quidditch games stuck with Harry and the twins so much that they managed a whole two weeks without a detention from Umbridge. And when the tin of biscuits floated down to harry courtesy of one of the school owls with the message. “ _For listening to me for once.”_ The twins ears turned pink and Harry nearly fell out of his chair.

With just a week and a half until the Christmas break, the potion faded from bright purple into an opaque lilac color with a surface that shimmered with rainbows that might have been images if you stared at them long enough.

“And now we wait,” Makoto said that night. Indeed, the moon outside was a waxing Gibbon. In just a few days, it would be full.

It was the longest three days of the entire semester. But at last, the Saturday before the final week of class, the Moon was large and full in the sky and all nine scouts congregated in Setsuna’s quarters a half hour before curfew.

“Is it supposed to smell like nail polish?” Minako asked as Setsuna ladeled the potion into three goblets.

“Actually yes – and it’s really fascinating how the ingredients combine to make that smell!” Ami began.

“I thought about adding some spices…nothing magical just to make it taste better.” Makoto added.

“Not until you’ve studied more potions theory,” Setsuna cautioned. She passed a goblet each to Rei and Michiru and raised the third in her own hand. The other scouts crowded close. The three potion testers nodded to eachother and the only sound in the room was the clink of their glasses against eachother before they each took a drink.

Michiru knocked it back like a shot. "I prefer whiskey." She said, wrinkling her nose at the now empty goblet "At least the after effects are noticable and pleasant."

"Do you feel any different?" Haruka asked as Rei and Setsuna set down their own glasses.

"No," Setsuna sighed. “But it said it typically works best while sleeping. It isn’t a perfect solution,” she said, annoyed at the now limited scope of her future vision. "But it will be a start."

"So you could see Mamo tonight!" Usagi cheered.

"I hope so." Rei said as she turned her face towards the full moon "Might see some worse things as well - what with their dark wizard loose.”

"Better than nothing." Michiru said "Let's meet tomorrow after breakfast. The other students will be at Hogsmeade. We should have the castle to ourselves.”

"Right." The others nodded.

"And now you need to hurry along," Setsuna said, waving her wand at the door. It swung open with a faint creak. "Dolores is patroling the second floor so take the side routes" she told Michiru, Haruka, and Makoto. "Good luck."


	8. Crisis At Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentines Day!

 

** Crisis at Christmas **

 

_She was running, and it was eerily silent. Normally the echoing clack-clack of her heels against the stone floors would follow her down the long, dark hall way. But there was no sound, perhaps it was a muffling spell. She watched as the soundless hall rushed passed, candles a blur along the walls. It was under their light that she caught sight of the glimmer ahead of her, a sleek set of scales slithering across the floor. She followed it as it raced onward through the shadows, around corners and down stairs, deeper and deeper into whatever building this was._

_Until at last they were in a hall with a large plain door at the end, growing larger as they neared, and beside it a wizard sat with their head tilted towards the ground, wand somehow still grasped in their hand as they slept. He was older, the candlelight reflected brightly off the thin wisps of grey and orange hair that still clung to his head. In that same candlelight, the snake continued it’s advance, the coils of its body rolling quickly across the floor as it trained its head towards the sleeping wizard._

_Suddenly the walls rushed past her and she was there, at the end of the hall, taking in the man’s pale blue eyes as they snapped open, widening in the face of the serpent who reared up above them and struck, teeth leaving deep wounds in the wizard’s body too quickly for him to raise his wand. His body collapsed onto the floor. Blood began to pool around him._

In different parts of the castle, three young women awoke with a start.

Michiru sat up, pushing away the heavy silver and green duvet, and put a hand to her forehead to sooth the headache that always accompanied visions.

The mattress bounced as Haruka shifted beside her, having snuck into her bed as usual well after the other Slytherins had gone to bed. She sat up and reached out the fingers of one hand lacing through Michiru’s. “What did you see?” she whispered.

Michiru had her eyes closed, concentrating on the halls, the door at the end, and especially the snake. There had been something…distinctly unsettling about the creature.

“I’m…not entirely sure,” she whispered back. “But I can find out where it is.” She reached under her pillow for her wand and conjured the Aqua Mirror. That doorway, and the halls, had been dark and unremarkable, but there had been some writing on the door. Perhaps she could discover where it was.

“ _Expedias Insomnium”_ She murmured, and the mirror filled with blue light as she stared into it, concentrating very hard on the door to…

**_The Department of Mysteries_ **

_Authorized Personnel Only_

Across the castle, seven floors above, Rei had already left the girls dorm. Mina had barely stirred when Rei slipped out of the four-poster bed, wrapped her Quidditch cloak around herself, and conjured a flame in her hand with which she sought out her slippers. She had padded down to the common room as quickly and quietly as the echo-friendly staircase would allow, and was now seated far too close to the fire for most people’s comfort.

It was not the same as the fire at Hikawa Shrine, but it sufficed, she thought as she clasped her hands before her and gazed into the flames.

She thought back on the vision. The snake was interesting, the strange halls as well, She didn't recognize them as Hogwarts.

But it was the man who drew her interest. Arguably she shouldn’t know him, and yet…

She had definitely seen his eyes before, on an un-terrified, much younger face.

And that red hair, she realized as the fire provided her with more clarity. Why, what Gryffindor wouldn’t recognize the exact shade shared by a full half of their Quidditch team.

Far from both Gryffindor tower and the Slytherin dungeon, in a set of chambers on the second floor, Professor Meioh hugged her arms as she leaned against the frame of her bedroom’s tall window. She did not know the man, though he seemed familiar, nor could she recall the writing on the door. But it hardly mattered. Her powers had already informed her of where this would take place.

 _London._ Deep, deep under the ground in a location she could not discern, but _London_ for sure.

And as she stared out at the full moon, something occurred that rarely happened while she existed within linear time, and had certainly never happened during all her time with the Wix.

The timeline of the attack, though blurred and full of variables, unfolded before her. From this moment up until the attack, minute by minute, hour by hour, until she knew for certain exactly when this attack would occur.

_Thursday, 01:14…_

~ _SMH_ ~

Sunday morning the senshi were all up earlier than they had planned. Ami padded down to the Ravenclaw common room at just past dawn to find Hotaru already awake, curled up around a book.

“ _Connections to the Past,”_ Hotaru said. “I found it in the library. It’s all about connecting to your past lives. I thought it could help with Mamoru but it only seems to work introspectively.”

“Well a good try at least,” Ami said. “Couldn’t sleep.

“No,” Hotaru said. “I want to know what they saw.”

“Well,” Ami looked out the high common room windows. “Sun’s out…I’d say it’s an acceptable time to get breakfast.”

“Yes!” Hotaru cheered, hopping up from the couch and carefully stowing her book in her bag.

They actually met Makoto on the way down, leaning against the wall outside the great hall. She was dressed in a Hufflepuff sweater and jeans for the leisure day and carried a covered basket under one arm. “Oh good,” she grinned. “I’m not the only one up early.” She pointed to the basket. “I thought if you were up we could have breakfast outside.”

“Even with the cold – oh wait.” Ami giggled, producing the alder wand from her pocket. “I suppose warming charms would fix that.”

“I can let the others know.” Hotaru said, closing her eyes so she could concentrate. Michiru and Setsuna had been teaching her how to do this, but it still took a lot of effort.

 _We’re going outside._ She thought to the three other psychicly sensitive scouts. _Come out when you wake up_.

The three of them made their way out onto the snowy lawns and decided on a tree that overlooked the frozen lake. It was the work of minutes to set up a decent set of warming charms over the area – especially once Ami had transfigured several sticks into charm-holding stones. They all sat as patiently as was possible, unpacking breakfast, as they waited for the others.

Predictably enough, Michiru and Haruka found them first, and fifteen minutes after them, Rei and Mina arrived dragging along a half-asleep Usagi.

And finally Setsuna, making her way not from the castle but from across the lake, skating up to them with a grace that Makoto envied.

“You skate!” she exclaimed.

“When the situation permits,” Setsuna said, vanishing the skates with a wave of the rowan wand as she settled down on the patch of warm ground. She smiled as Hotaru poured her a mug of coffee. “Thank you.”

“Makoto and I put several muffling charms around the tree,” Ami said. “So that if anyone comes over,”

“A good idea,” Setsuna said. “Now, first of all. Did you two,” she nodded to Michiru and Rei “See anything last night?”

“A man being attacked by a snake,” Michiru told them as the scouts seated around the tree leaned towards her. “There was something… I couldn’t discern why, but the snake bothered me.”

“The man’s Arthur Weasley,” Rei told them. “He’s the Weasley kids’ father.”

“I wonder why he was sleeping in that hallway,” Michiru mused. “Or why the snake was there.”

“We all had the same dream then.” Setsuna said. “Did anyone manage to catch the writing on the door?”

“The Department of Mysteries.” Michiru informed them. “I assumed it might be the Ministry of Magic.”

“I think you’d be right,” Setsuna said. “This is going to happen in five days.”

“You can see it,” Ami exclaimed. “Does that mean your future sight’s back?”

Setsuna shook her head. “Too soon to tell if it will remain consistent. And I still have no control over the visions themselves but,” she smiled. “This is a start.”

“I wonder why we all saw this of all things,” Michiru mused.

“Does it matter,” Usagi asked, sitting up a little taller. “We get the chance to stop this right?”

“Do we stop it?” Haruka asked Setsuna.

“I made a trip to the time doors this morning to see just that.” She said shaking her head. “And I am not sure.”

“What do you mean? We’ve got to!” Usagi declared.

“Mr. Weasley will live through the attack.” Setsuna told them. “I saw several people arrive within minutes though the snake was long gone.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Usagi said. “We can’t let any snake attacks happen if we can help it, and besides,” she said fiercely, looking around at all her friends. “He’s our friends’ father.”

They all pause for a moment, taking note of the first time in months they’ve seen such fire in her eyes.

“Of course we’re going to stop it Usagi-chan.” Rei said, bumping her shoulder.

“It is one of many possibilities, just not the most likely one,” Setsuna said.

“It’s your call,” Haruka said. “You say we help, then we help.”

Usagi smiled at them. “I can always count on you guys.”

“It’s going to take a bit of planning though,” Michiru mused, “if no one else, Umbridge would certainly notice – ”

As she spoke, Setsuna’s eyes drifted to the billowing emerald-clad figure making her way along the grounds, her green boots crunching in the snow as she walked with another person whose fur hat hid their short-cropped grey hair. Minerva Mcgonagall turned away from her conversation with Madam Hooch and directed her inquisitive stare at the gathering of transfer students. Setsuna nodded to her as the two professors passed, noticing Minerva continued to glance back at them, no doubt full of questions.

~ _SMH_ ~

“Now, about the exams.” Setsuna said as she concluded the day’s first lesson. All her seventh years sat up straighter at their desks. “I was very impressed,” Setsuna said as she passed the papers back to her seventh years. “We had some very thoughtful ideas all around. Morgana, I particularly liked yours.

“Thanks,” Morgana muttered, stowing her paper in her bag before anyone could see it.

“Now before I let you leave for the day,” she told her sixteen students, “I have a proposition for you all, an extra credit assignment.”

“For Christmas?” Timothy Abbott asked.

“In a way. Now if you chose to pursue this opportunity,” Setsuna said. “You get an extra week’s holiday time.”

“How is that?” Fawcett asked.

But Setsuna only smirked and Haruka had to hide her laugh behind her hand as she said. “We’ll just say Japan’s made a few…improvements on the time-turner.”

“What’s the catch?” Morgana asked.

“None, you get an extra week’s holiday to spend with your friends while you complete an extra credit assignment. You’ll be paired up with one or two people from class – of your choosing, I’ll add. And I’ll meet all of you outside of Kings Cross on January 6th to begin your extra week off. You’ll return to Kings Cross exactly five minutes from the time you left.”

“What’s the assignment?” Stebbins asked.

In answer, Setsuna activated the projector with a flick of her wand. three pictures sprung up on the blackboard: A golden beach decorated with palm trees, a small town overlooking beautiful snow-capped mountains, and a third of a sprawling city scape.

And that was when they got it.

“First you’ll pick your preferred holiday location,” Setsuna said as the realizations began to spread throughout the classroom. “You’ll spend a week there in the small group of your choosing, and you’ll spend that week living, entirely, without magic.”  
Silence fell over the classroom as the students mulled that over. Setsuna continued.

“At the end of the week, you’ll write me an essay on the topic. It needn’t be more than ten inches of parchment. And if you complete the assignment, your extra credit will be applied to your NEWTs. Not only that,” she said as whispers began to circulate through the excited class once more. “But you’ll get a M.U.C. out of the deal.”

“A what?” Haruka asked.

“A Muggle Understanding Certificate,” Timothy Abbott whispered from the seat infront of them. “Normally you have to take extra classes at the ministry and pass all sorts of tests.”

“The Headmaster thought this would prove a sufficient alternative,” Setsuna told him. “And remember – this is optional.” But she had no sooner spoken than hands were going up around the class – all exclaiming about where they’d like to go and who with. Setsuna grinned. “We’ll make arrangements during the next class.” She said, flicking her wand at the classroom doors. “Have a good day,” she told them.

Michiru and Haruka hung back from the rest, approaching Setsuna’s desk.

“So when did you come up with that plan,” Haruka grinned. “Never throught you’d be using the Time…”

But as she spoke Setsuna made their gesture for quiet and pointed them towards the back of class. “So Professor,” she said, speaking towards the class room doors. Michiru and Haruka looked at each other and all around. Who was she talking to? “What did you think of class?”

Just at that moment, Michiru spotted the cat hop off the high bookshelf by the door and pad down the center aisle of the class, and before their eyes began to warp and twist up into the tall, regal figure of Professor McGonagall.

Michiru’s mouth dropped open. She’d known McGonagall was something called an animagus but had never actually seen… _she was just a cat_. She thought.

“Well I must say you teach it better than Quirrell used to do, and I’m quite inspired by their mid-term assignment.” She said, coming to a stop before the front row of desks and leaning against one of them. “I’m personally not sure what a Holiday has to do with a school assignment but neither am I surprised Albus approved it,” she said, eyes drifting between the three scouts.

“Well I thought it would be better that they have a good time – with any luck they might even forget they haven’t been using magic.”

“Have you been here the entire class,” Michiru blurted out, still trying to figure out how their professor had morphed from cat to human in the span of a second. Certainly Luna and Artemis could do the same, but so could their entire species.

“I had requested to observe once I discovered what the midterm assignment was, and I am quite certain I’ve never heard of a more enthusiastic muggle studies class. Charity came close last year, but even she couldn’t grab Avery’s attention like it appears you have.”

“Avery’s just reticent to admit she’s interested in it,” Setsuna said. “Though I do wonder why.”

Mcgonagall nodded, though she frowned. Haruka was the first to recognize the look. It was the same she gave the twins when she thought they were up to mischief. “Her family are of the type that would have nothing to do with muggles.”

“Then I’ll be interested to see whether she takes the assignment,” Setsuna said.

“Indeed,” McGonagall then turned to the two seventh years. “I would ask you to leave so that I might speak to your professor but,” she said, looking over her spectacles at them. “I suspect you’ll hear of my questions anyways.”

The two of them glanced at Setsuna, wondering what this was about. And she nodded at them. Yes, it seemed, she had seen this coming.

“You’re wondering how exactly I’m extending their Holiday by a week.” Setsuna asked.

“The kind of time-travel magic you’ve implied is possible would have been published in every scholarly journal the world over if it had, indeed, been invented.” Mcgonagall said. “Now I’m sure every magical society is entitled to a few secrets but of something on _that_ scale, I am sceptical.”

Setsuna hmmed and tapped her fingers against the handle of her wand. “It’s nothing truly spectacular, just an improvement on the time turner,” she fibbed. “A week’s about as much as if can safely handle.”

Mcgonagall’s face though remained in its neutral, rather stern expression. They’d seen her direct this at Fred and George at least every other Transfiguration class. She clearly didn’t believe a word. “And I couldn’t help but notice your meeting down at the lake yesterday.”

“It was a nice day,” Setsuna said. “You seem to have quite a few questions Minerva. Is it necessary to clear my itinerary with you _and_ Dolores now.”

“My interest is nothing like Dolores’,” Minerva scoffed. “I can’t deny though that most meetings do not require high calibre silencing charms.”

To that, Setsuna had no response.

Looking between the three of them, Minerva continued.“I’m not sure what I believe of the rumours that all three of you are parents to Miss. Tomoe, but it is one of many curious things surrounding the lot of you. Not the least of which,” she continued, “is how proficient you all seem at magic despite only having a formal education in it for a single school term.”

“We’re just fast learners, I guess.” Haruka shrugged.

Minerva raised her eyebrows at them. “Clearly.”

“What’s this about Minerva?” Setsuna asked. “You’ve been a good friend the past few months.”

The Transfiguration Professor sighed, looking all around the room at the many stunning photographs and videos. “I have also come to see you as a friend – but that has truly only increased my curiosity. Now Albus has said you are looking for someone. That seems quite enough information for him. But I can’t imagine why that requires eight of you to be students here when you might be much better served coordinating with the Aurors. And the reasons I keep coming back to for why you are at Hogwarts instead,” she sighed. “I honestly have none. And it is quite irritating, especially when I account for all the curiosities that have surrounded you this semester. Among others,” she looked at the three of them with a hard stare. “You don’t – any of you – seem to realize exactly how shocking it is that you,” she nodded to Setsuna, “killed those dementors.”

Setsuna sighed. “I didn’t,”

Michiru and Haruka stiffened. _Careful_ , Michiru thought to Setsuna.

But the Time Guardian continued. She couldn’t say she’s been having visions of this, but since yesterday morning she’d had a feeling this might come up. Minerva, after all, was not one to let anything slip past her. “I claimed to have defeated the dementors to protect another one of my students who accidentally conjured the patronus responsible.”

Minerva took a slight step back, eyebrows disappearing above the brim of her green hat. “ _accidentally_ ,”

Setsuna nodded. “None of us are quite sure how she managed it, though I have theories. And I wanted to ensure that she didn’t face any scrutiny for powers she didn’t understand. You see,” she nodded ot Minerva. “we’ve faced a fair few questions of our own since arriving here. And one of them is whom, in your society, we can trust.” She nodded to Minerva “so you’ll have to forgive any secrets you stumble upon.”

“You can trust me,” Minerva said, standing up a little straighter. “Goodness you could trust any of the professors here, bar Dolores.”

“That’s a bold statement to make,” Michiru interrupted, giving a stern look that rivalled Minerva’s, “given that this society is entirely new to us and has already proven, among other things, to be covering up a dark wizard’s activities and has a government more than willing to meddle negatively in the education system.”

“None of which has anything to do with Hogwarts,” Minerva fumed.

“And how are we to know that?” Michiru said. “Just as you are sceptical of our true purpose here, so too are we concerned about the reception we’ll receive if all of our secrets do come out.”

“Our purpose here is benign,” Setsuna continued. “And, truly, I’d love to be able to trust others with those secrets – chiefly yourself.” She noticed a few students from her next class hovering beyond the door and waved them in. “But if you want us to trust you with them, consider that maybe we need to trust you first.”

“Professor Meioh,” one of the third years said as they ran to the front of the room. And Michiru and Haruka used that as their cue to leave, hearing the boy exclaim behind them: “I swear I had my essay at breakfast this morning. But my owl ate it.”

“Owls don’t eat Parchment, Evercreech,” Mcgonagall said “And five-points from Slytherin for trying to pull that on a new professor.”

“And five points for not doing your homework.” Setsuna continued.

Once they were outside the classroom and well on their way down the hall, Michiru turned to Haruka. “Is Setsuna really going to tell her the truth?”

Haruka sighs, linking arms with Michiru. “I hope not – makes me uncomfortable, you know, other people knowing all our secrets.”

Michiru made a face. “Me too, but perhaps it won’t be nearly so incredible here. I mean,” she continued with a hint of envy in her voice. “She can turn into a cat.”

“That’s nothing knew,” Haruka smirked.

“But she’s only a human,” Michiru continued. “Do you suppose the snake is an animagus as well?”

Haruka looked out at the snow falling outside. “We’ll find out in a few days, I suppose.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Tuesday morning saw Minako’s name dominate the board and the list of names crossed out on the side grow to include the entire class. She grinned in satisfaction as her combination of _Conjunctivus_ and a tripping jinx saw Anthony Goldstein’s name appear at the bottom of the list of defeated students. She turned to the high chair over the Dueling court where Flitwick presided, expecting congratulations.

But he was not there. In fact, as the rest of the class began to congratulate her, and Goldstein shook her hand, Mina heard Flitwick’s boots ascend the stairs of the Dueling court. The room grew silent as she turned away from Goldstein and saw Flitwick bow to her. She gulped and bowed in return as the room erupted in whispers – Flitwick had not elected to duel a student in at least a decade.

Flitwick got off the first spell and rather than put up _Protego,_ Minako dodged, setting off three binding curses in a row: _Petrificus Totales, Locomotor Mortis,_ and _Glacius_ (a spell Ami taught her for freezing things).

Flitwick cancelled the first two in the air, but was surprised by the third, which Mina aimed over his head, causing him to duck. The ice froze part of his hair, and gave her a second wher he hesitated and Mina set off an _Incarcerous_. This he let hit him before banishing it with an unconscious _Finite Incantatem,_ followed swiftly by the banishing charm, _Depulso_.

Mina went flying and responded with _Spongify,_ turning the wall she was about to crash into into a spongy material. She went flying off it, and cast a feather light charm and _Ascendio_ on herself, giving her the ability to fly overhead. From there she linked a rope binding spell to a _Rictesempra_ and a _Verdemillion._ Flitwick shot up into the air to dodge the first two and countered the lightning by absorbing it into his wand, shooting it back at Mina. She cast _Protego_ just in time and then somersaulted in the air while moving her wand like a whip, letting off a string of simple spells: _Aguamenti, Sagitta_ , followed by _Stupefy_ and a surprise for Flitwick – _Langlock_.

 _Langlock_ glued the tongue to the roof of the mouth and Mina thought she had him there. Without waiting, she went in for another _Petrificus Totales,_ only to get a surprise when she was knocked over and held up in the air by her feet, magical ropes constricting around her wand hand. The blackthorn wand clattered to the ground as _Langlock_ glued her own mouth shut.

Flitwick walked up to her calmly and tapped his mouth with his wand. “Silent Casting, Miss Aino, a lesson for another time.” He checked his watch. “And ten points to Gryffindor,” he chuckled. “You seem to have beaten Nymphadora’s record.”

He then turned away and began lecturing all the other students about duelling strategy and effective immobilisation of one’s opponent. Mina was still upside down, wandless, and silenced.

 _Silent casting ehh?_ she thought, stretching out for her wand. _Accio, accio_. _For goodness sakes, I do not lose! Accio Love Whip!_

Two things happened in quick succession.

One: the blackthorn wand leapt off the floor of the duelling court into Mina’s hand, glowing orange as it did

Two: every student in the room gasped as the ropes around Mina begin to glow golden and disintegrate. She flipped onto the floor, landing firmly on her own two feet.

 _Finite Incantatem!_ She thought pointing her wand at her mouth as Flitwick turned back around, wide-eyed.

“Draw,” she rasped, bowing to the stout professor.

All Flitwick could do was bow in return. “Well done, Miss Aino.” He said. “Very well done indeed.” He looked out at the class. “Dismissed, and remember, I want two feet on duelling strategies turned in on Thursday.”

Mina caught her friends eyes and waved them out of class. “Professor,” she said as the students filed out.

“You are an exceptional duelist Miss. Aino,” he commented. “That wand of yours certainly seems built to perform in a pinch.”

“Yeah,” she said, tightening her grip on the blackthorn wand. She’d gained quite a bit more trust in it the past few weeks.

“It is also most unconventional to trust so much of your strategy to an airborne defence,” the professor commented. “That’s hard to maintain over a long duel, or against multiple opponents.”

“I’d like to learn other ways, Sir.” She said. “I know there was a duelling club at the beginning of the year.”

“Yes well, unfortunately that’s been converted to more of a study hour.” Flitwick sighed. “I’m afraid it won’t be much good for practical training, if that’s what you seek.”

“I do,” she rushed to say. “want more duelling practice I mean. But,” she looked down at her wand. “Ron says you’re the best Duelist there is, you won the championships multiple times.”

“When I was young,” he observed. “I have not considered a private student in many years. It can be gruelling work, and” he added. “We’ll be training on spells used in proper duels, not these school games.”

“I know.”

“You may be injured.”

“I can take a hit,” she insisted.

Flitwick considered her. “I do not take on students lightly. You must be in it for the right reasons.”

Minako squared her shoulders and swallowed the lump in her throat. “The magic that we do here is amazing. It can do so many things. And it would be so useful, for defending others. But…only if I mastered it.” she chuckles. “I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. And I’m not stellar at most magic by far but duelling…” she went quiet. “Dueling I feel drawn too, and i’m pretty good at the spells.” She met the short professor’s appraising eyes. “I want to be the best I can be.”

Flitwick nodded. “Very well,” and he summoned a piece of parchment off his desk. There was writing scrawled across it. “There’s an old classroom on the fourth floor that I use for my own duelling practice. It’s out of the way of those who’d frown upon practicing combat.” He doesn’t need to say _Umbridge._ She took the paper and put it in the pocket of her robes. “If I recall, there usually are not Quidditch Practices on Monday nights. Meet me there at 7 after the Holidays,” he said. “And be prepared to work hard.”

“Yes sir!” she said. “Thank you! See you on Thursday.”

“Don’t forget your essay this time!” he chided her as she left.

“What was that about?” Rei asked her as she exited the class, clasping hands with Mina as they walked with Ami and Usagi down the hall. Minako was grinning, bouncing on her toes, and twirling her wand in her free hand.

“I’m gonna be a duelist!” she cheered.

~ _SMH_ ~

With the attack on Mr. Weasley happening in only a few hours, it was an anxious group of senshi who arrived at the D.A. meeting on Wednesday night. For their part, Michiru and Haruka arrived on time and looking as nonplussed as ever, despite being the two they’d all agreed would take point on this mission. Only in the event of a distress signal from Michiru would the inner senshi or Hotaru join the fray.

Thankfully though, this wouldn’t be the type of meeting where they’d be sitting idle for long. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already trying to draw the attention of the gathered students.

“All right everyone,” Harry said. “Now with this charm, concentration’s really important. If you’re facing a dementor, you have to be able to hold onto a happy thought and use it against them. As a lot of you recall that’s…well it’s hard.” He said, and ran a hand through his messy black hair as he looked over the crowd. “It might be good to practice with your friends. See if they can help you think up a happy thought. It has to be a really good one, can’t just be getting a good grade on a test.”

“What’s your happy memory?” Justin Finch-Fletchley shouted out from the middle of the crowd. A couple other Hufflepuffs told him that was rude but the rest of the students leaned forward in interest.

Harry sighed. “I actually don’t use a memory. Or at least, it probably isn’t one.” He looked down at his shoes. “I think of my parents, when they were alive and how happy that must have been.” He looked up at all of them and shrugged. “To be honest it feels like a dream more than a memory – but the feeling is what’s important. Focus on that.”

And then he raised his wand and demonstrated the wand movement and then the incantation before shouting “ _Expecto Patronum!_ ” and suddenly a bright light burst forth from the end of his wand, gathering into the shape of a brilliant stag that cantered all around the classroom to the delighted shouts and gasps of the D.A. It returned to Harry’s side and bowed its head, nuzzling the boy’s face with its nose.

“I’ll be walking around to help whomever needs it,” Harry said. “Go on, make sure you have plenty of space.”

The scouts looked to Usagi first of all. “Were you thinking of anything in particular when you stopped them the last time?” Ami asked.

Usagi looked at Mina. “Just that…that I wasn’t going to lose you all again. I was thinking of…of happiness maybe? But more than that I was concentrating on love, and how determined I was to defeat them.”

“Love and determination huh?” Mina grinned and whipped out her wand. “Sounds like that’s right up my street.”

“Alley,” Makoto corrected her. But Mina was solely focused on the blackthorn wand now.

She’d gotten so good at duelling. Surely this thing could handle a spell that was based on the feelings that governed her powers. “Come on,” she told the blackthorn wand, kissing it lightly as her friends fanned out around her. “Show them what love can do.”

She stood tall, feet shoulder width apart, and closed her eyes as she held the wand before her.

A happy memory…

She had been blessed, she knew, to have so many but…

_Rei…_

_It had been that first day after her rebirth, her third first day, as it happened. She recalled the chill in the air and the scent of the commuting traffic as she’d run down the sidewalk, Artemis barely keeping pace with her. She was back, at last. And Galaxia was gone. And Rei was alive again. And she had to see her._

_Her running kept her warm as she pounded down the sidewalk, ignoring the winter chill, running and running through Juuban. She had to see her._

_And then halfway there, before the hill with Hikawa Shrine had even come into view, she saw another figure, black hair whipping all around them, as they too charged down the sidewalk._

_She kept running as they approached. In fact her pace quickened. Every step, every heart-beat, sounded like her name. Rei, Rei, Rei…_

_“Mina-chan!” Rei shouted to her as they came within a foot of each other. The priestess stopped short of a hug, clasping Minako’s hands as she’d done when they’d first regained their physical forms within the cauldron. She was crying. Why was she crying?_

_“You’re here,” she choked out, and Mina let go of one of her hands to wipe Rei’s face._

_“Of course I am,” Mina grinned. “We’re back.”_

_Rei’s smile was so wide and full and joyful, it might have eclipsed the sun. “We are.” And she lifted her now free hand to Mina’s face. “I’ve…I’ve wanted to see you since I woke up,” she said, face red. “I need to…”_

_“What?” Mina frowned. “What’s wrong?”_

_“Nothing,” Rei assured her, face so, so close. “I just…need to,” and then she let go of Mina’s other hand and cupped her face between her palms. And Rei was kissing her, suddenly and furiously. All Mina could do was wrap both arms about her waist and crush her closer as around them the winter sun shined on the slight dusting of snow and the cars flew by like it was any other Tuesday._

_“I love you,” Rei whispers as she pulled away to breathe. “I love you.”_

_“EXPECTO PATRONUM!”_ Mina shouted, grinning as the light burst from the end of her wand. Not white, as they’d all expected, but a fiery orange, spiralling up into the air as it took the shape first of hearts and then of birds – a whole flock of them soaring over the heads of the class and startling Ron so much that his wispy terrier vanished.

The whole room clapped as Mina let the spell go and the birds evaporated into swirls of orange sparks. All except one, which flew back to the scouts and settled in the palm of Rei’s hand, giving a small chirp before it, too, vanished.

“Charmer,” Rei giggled at Mina. Then she drew her own cherry wand and took a deep breath.

“My turn,”

“Think of me, why don’t you?” Mina said.

_Oh, I am._

_Dinners with her father were always a depressing affair. Rei wondered if his continued insistence of having one on her birthday was his own poor attempt at bonding or just another move to boost his political standing. Either way she found herself sitting on the steps of the Shrine afterwards, watching the chauffeured black car drive away. Her father hadn’t even waved._

_It was as she was considering moving indoors that Phobos cawed overhead, flapping her wings and causing a ruckus as she soared to-and-fro._

_“What now?” she frowned in annoyance, but the bird kept at it, drawing her attention as it flew up towards the trees. And then she saw Deimos too, circling one of the taller trees on the shrine property._

_As she stood to get a better look a light went on high above, highlighting a familiar silhouette who was balancing on one of the branches, and holding a mic. in one hand._

_“This next one goes out to a very special girl on her sixteenth birthday,” Minako’s voice, in full performance mode, announced from high above._

_And then she began to sing._

_Rei recognized the tune immediately. Mina had been humming it under her breath for weeks. But the lyrics were new. The lyrics…_

_“You’re a fire burning in the dark._

_You and your passionate heart._

_They burn so bright._

_They chase away the night…”_

_She stood speechless, a smile tugging at her lips as the song carried on past the chorus: exclaiming over all her virtues and some of her flaws and giggling when Mina attempted the pun. “Rei of Sunshine,” in the final verse. When her friend finally leapt down from the tree, twirling as she bowed. Rei could barely contain her laughter._

_“Well what’dya think?” Mina asked “Next big hit?”_

_And she tried, she really tried, to punch her in the shoulder and tell her how embarrassing she was. But all she managed was to hug her. “Thank you,”_

_“Oh hey, I’m not done yet. Your birthday’s barely started.” And she fished around in her pocket, pulling out tickets. “Box seats to the theatre, thank Michiru.” She grinned. “I know it’s not Fugu or anything but,”_

_“Shut up!” Rei said laughing, hugging Mina close. “It’s perfect!”_

Rei’s eyes snapped open as she concentrated on that feeling. One hand reached out to grasp Minako’s. “ _Expecto Patronum,”_

The light that burst from her wand took shape immediately, unfurling brilliant wings that seemed made of individual, white flames. The students around them gasped as the phoenix soared over the heads of a fluffy bunny rabbit and an otter, and blew past many other, less corporeal patronii.

“Well done!” Harry Potter clapped as he walked over to them after successfully helping Neville, “That was brilliant!”

“We both have birds,” Mina says, giving Rei’s hand a squeeze.

“That er, well that means you’re a good match.” Harry offered. “Both my parents had deer.”

“So they were like…soulmates,” Mina whispered.

The look Mina and Rei were giving each other had him making hasty excuses that he would check back in in a bit, and he strode off in search of Ginny.

“MY TURN!” Usagi declared, whipping out the willow wand with a flourish. She already had the perfect memory in mind.

Or, well, not a memory...not yet. But as Harry’d said, it was the feeling that counted.

_She hung back at the door of the bright pink room, leaning on the doorframe as she gazed at Endymion, moving his hands in elaborate gestures as he always did when he created stories. She watched as they and his voice wove some grand tale of adventure for the little girl who sat up under her covers with wide red eyes._

_“And then do you know who appeared?” Endymion’s voice rumbled._

_“Sailor Moon!” tiny little Chibiusa cheered, clapping her hands and grinning at her father._

_“That’s right Small Lady,” the King chuckled, ruffling her pink hair. “Sailor Moon appeared with her crescent wand and Silver Crystal and she dusted the Youma.”_

_“All of them,” Chibiusa squeaked._

_“Every single one,” Endymion said. “Which is why you shouldn't worry about the Youma under the bed.”  
“Cause Sailor Moon will protect me,” Chibiusa said and in her arms there was a doll of that same hero._

_“Always,” Endymion promised her._

_I’ll always protect both of you,_ Usagi thought as she concentrated as hard as she could on the bliss that future promised.

“ _Expecto Patronum!”_ She shouted, and before the final syllable of the spell had even left her lips, the fully formed hare leapt forth from the wand, bounding across the large room and in between the legs of nearby students before returning to the senshi. It jumped up onto Michiru’s head, then Haruka’s and Hotaru’s and then to each of the inner senshi before settling in Usagi’s arms.

“Hey,” she grinned as the animal of light sniffed her face. “You’re almost real.” And it only disappeared as she hugged it, losing her hold on the happy thought.

“Come on guys,” Usagi grinned. “Give it a try.”

“I want to,” Ami said. “I’m just not entirely sure what memory I should pick.”

“Ohhh! You got top marks on the Entrance exams!” Mina pointed out. “That’s gotta have been a happy one.”

“Hmm,” Ami pondered.

It was not that she didn’t have happy memories, just none that immediately stood out from the rest. And it was difficult to pick just one.

 _What about one of Mercury’s_ , she thought. It seemed strange, to pull from a collection of mostly battles but… she did have one in mind.

_She grasped the oddly familiar blue pen in hand, and all at once felt the strength return to her. She got to her feet, standing between Sailor Moon and the youma and held the pen (no, the henshin wand) high. She didn’t even need the cat to give her the words. They came to her in on crystal clear moment of clarity._

_“Mercury Power Make-up!”_

_As the power phrase left her lips a wave of ice water rushed up around her, cocooning her in power as old as the Earth, as cold as the poles and full of eons of wisdom from the bright light of a star blazing across the land. She was the ice that dominated Mercury’s night and the bright sunlight that evaporated it all into a dense fog come sunrise. She crossed her glove-covered hands before her and felt the power of a whole world collecting within her fists. Now, at last, she had the chance to be so much more than just her test scores._

“ _Expecto Patronum_!” Ami called and the wispy cloud that spiralled forth from the Alder wand did not immediately appear to have an animal form like the others. But as Ami’s brows furrowed and a grin split over her face, the swirls of light coalesced into a small shape, with a swift looking form, small pointed ears, and delicate paws made for bounding through the snow.

“It’s a fox!” Rei exclaimed.

“It’s adorable,” Usagi cooed.

The little animal scampered around the group, eventually stopping at Ami’s feet and bowing its head before it faded away.

“I have to work on it,” Ami decided.

“Like hell you do,” Makoto scoffed, clapping her on the shoulder. “That was brilliant.” And she raised her own wand. “Watch I won’t do nearly so well.”

And she closed her eyes and thought back. Should she think of her parents like Harry?

The idea brought her back to that day…the hardest day to remember. But it had a few memories of its own.

_She was just turning the key of her flat after visiting the cemetery, when she heard a shout from inside and smelled something burning._

_“Usagi!” Rei’s voice screeched as she swung the door open. There in her hallway was Usagi standing over a chicken that was very much on fire and doing her best to beat the flames away with a towel._

_“I’ve got the water!” Mina shouted, vaulting out of the kitchen with a pot that she promptly dumped on the burnt bird._

_“Uh…” Makoto stammered as she dropped her keys on the side table._

_“Oh no!” Usagi said, whipping around. “Oh we didn’t think you’d be home yet, I’m sorry!” She looked down at the floor. “We just wanted to cook you a nice dinner and now I’ve gone and ruined it.”_

_“No no,” Rei sighed, covering her eyes. “It’s our fault for letting you in the kitchen.”_

_“We’re sorry Mako-chan.” Mina said. “You just…well Usagi thought you looked really down at school today and she wanted to get us all together to cheer you up.”_

_She stared between the three of them. They didn’t even know what today was but… “you…tried to cook dinner for me?”_

_“Of course we did!” Usagi said. “Couldn’t have going home all sad and alone. We just, ah..” she laughed. “Well maybe you are the only one who can cook.”_

_Her mouth twitched as an expression she hadn’t worn all day spread across her face. She grinned as she laughed, reaching for Usagi and hugging her close and then laughing as Mina joined in and dragged Rei along with her._

_“Thank you,” she told them. “Wait…where’s Ami?”_

_“Here!” Ami said, popping out of the kitchen waving her phone. “I just called the take out place – they’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”_

_“Yes!” Usagi cried. “Smart thinking, Ami-chan!”_

_“Come on!” Mina said. “It isn’t a proper group hug without you.”_

_As the four of them crowded in close to her she felt like laughing and crying at once._

_“You guys didn’t have to do this,” she insisted._

_“Of course we did,” Ami said. “That’s what family’s for.”_

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” Makoto roared, and they all jumped as a sharp clap of thunder echoed from her wand in the wake of a bolt of bright, white light. It launched high overhead and as it did, it grew, tall and large with giant stump-like feet and two wide ears framing either side of its face. It lifted its trunk nose and reared, opening its mouth in a silent roar.

“African Elephant,” Ami gasped. “Proportionate to its real size and everything.”

“It suits you,” Michiru murmured, smiling as the Elephant’s trunk brushed the top of her head.

By now they’d gathered an audience. Some Patronii – like the wispy rabbit and a fairly solid looking horse – still danced around the room. But the majority of students had dropped their wands in favour of watching the exchange students.

“Well,” Haruka said, kneeling down beside Hotaru. “Go on, show us how its done.”

Hotaru looked at the Glaive. “What if it can’t make something that…happy.”

“Of course it can,” Michiru said, wrapping her arms around Hotaru’s shoulders. “Your magic is so much more than its legacy, Hotaru.”

“And you can do whatever you want with it.” Haruka said, and tapped the girl’s forehead. “Now, look through that smart brain of yours. The happiest thought you can find.”

Hotaru smiled and nodded, turning towards the open space between them and the other students and positioned the glaive out in front of her. She thought back. Her happiest memory…

_“Come on!” Chibiusa pulled her along by the hand, holding on tightly to it as they raced through the crowded amusement park. “We gotta ride the roller coaster. How have you never ridden one before?”_

_“I haven’t really got out much,” she said shyly, blushing as she held tightly to her hat. “I… Chibiusa, what if I don’t like the roller coaster.”_

_Her friend stopped short, looking at the giant ride looming above the crowds and then at Hotaru, her pink pigtails shaking as she did. She shrugged. “Then we don’t have to go.”_

_“Oh,” Hotaru bit her lip. “But I don't wanna keep you from having a good time.”_

_“What do you mean?” Chibiusa laughed. “Of course I’m having a good time.” And she beamed at Hotaru. “I’m not here to ride the roller coaster. I can do that with Mamo-chan whenever I want. I’m here to spend time with you!”_

_She stared at her short, pink friend as some strange feeling welled up in her, making her toes curl._

_“Why?” she asked._

_“Cause you’re my best friend,” Chibiusa said, squeezing her hand. “Hanging out with you is the best thing ever.” And just as casually as she had said that she glanced over Hotaru’s shoulder and gasped. “Oooh Cotton Candy! Come on,” she said dragging her by the hand once more. “You have to try it, you have to!”_

_Chibiusa…_

“ _Expecto Patronum_!” Hotaru exclaimed.

The wisps of white light blossomed from the end of the glaive, circling through the air. Some fluttered as though they might have wings, but quickly faded. Hotaru sighed, looking down at her hands. “I miss her.”

Michiru’s arms then tightened around her shoulders and Haruka placed a hand over hers as they held her weapon. “We miss her too,” she said to Hotaru. “But don’t let that stop you from being happy about all the time you spent together.”

“It makes the memories even sweeter in a way.” Michiru said. “Knowing they’re not unlimited…that makes them precious.”

“And even more powerful,” Haruka said. “Go on: try again.”

Hotaru looked between the two of them and then took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Thinking of Chibiusa again, and that day at the amusement park.

 _And there’s so many more_. She thought as she focused on the arms around her shoulders. _It’s not just Chibiusa who’s made me feel happy_ …

_Many, many years ago, dozing off on Papa’s shoulders as he and her mother walked arm in arm. Her mother’s laughter a melody she scarcely remembered. But it had filled her with such joy._

_And just this last year, Papa Haruka’s arm wrapped tight around her waist as they raced along the seaside road on the bike, the engine roaring outside her huge helmet. Papa Haruka wooped as they made a turn, and made the motorbike roar as they sped along the road, taking in the glistening ocean water and the sparkling metal and glass skyscrapers that rose up all along the coast._

_And best of all she wasn’t allowed to tell Mama Michiru or Mama Setsuna about this._

_It was she and Papa’s adventure…_

_And Mama Michiru, adjusting her grip on the violin and kneeling down next to her as Hotaru played the song they’d practiced entirely from memory, even the hard note they’d practiced over and over again yesterday._

_“You’re picking it up so fast!” Michiru praised._

_“Maybe I could do shows like you!” she’d grinned and Michiru had tapped her chin and hummed as she grinned._

_“You certainly could,” she decided. “But before that, we need to celebrate,” she said, helping Hotaru put the big violin in its case. “How’s about you and I go out for ice cream…we could even meet Mama Setsuna at work.”_

_“Yes!” Hotaru clapped. “Can we ride with the roof down?”_

_“That is the best way,” Michiru said as she led the way towards the door, Hotaru bounding along at her heels towards the front door and the bright sunshine and the promise of a drive in the convertible and ice cream and Mama Setsuna…_

_Mama Setsuna lifted her up onto her shoulders after a very, very, very long day at the racetrack watching Papa Haruka win the big, gigantic race. “Someone’s tired,” she chuckled as Hotaru yawned, resting her cheek against Setsuna’s hair._

_“M’not,” Hotaru mumbled. Setsuna’s hair smelled like orange blossoms and it was the perfect pillow for a toddler._

_“My mistake,” Setsuna chuckled. “Well I hope you can stay awake for dinner.”_

_“Course I can,” Hotaru insisted, struggling to keep her eyes open. She focused on the stars that were just starting to appear in the darkening sky. One in particular drew her gaze. “That’s Saturn!” she said, pointing to a bright yellow dot high overhead._

_“Good eye,” Setsuna praised. “You just know where all of them are, huh?”_

_“Don’t you?” Hotaru asked. And she rested her arms under her chin as she stared up at the distant planet. “Will you tell me the story again?”_

_“Which one?”_

_“You know which one.”_

_And Setsuna chuckled and adjusted her grip on Hotaru as they descended the stairs towards the parking garage where they’d meet Papa Haruka. “Long, long ago,” she whispered. “There was a little girl who had great power, and she was a little bit lost, and not a bit scared, but very much alone.”_

_“Not scared at all?”  
“At times she was, but you see,” Setsuna continued. “She could see all the stars everywhere – who they’d been and where they were going – and of course it is quite foolish to be afraid of things we know are coming. Things we cannot change. And truly, this girl hadn’t much to fear losing. So for a long time, she did not fear.”_

_“And then what?”_

_“And then a long time passed, and the girl grew very old, and very lonely. But she had a job to do, you see, a post to keep watch over. And she stayed there as long as fate allowed. And still she was quite lonely.”_

_“Until,” Hotaru said, squirming, for the best part of the story was coming._

_“I am getting there,” Setsuna laughed. “Until one day a bright light summoned her away from her post, asking for her help. And she found for a time that she was needed elsewhere, amongst others like herself. And she found that she was not so lonely anymore, but she did now know fear. The fear of losing all that she had gained. For these others like her became her family. But she could still see all the stars – who they had been and where they were going – and she knew her place was still high above all the others, keeping watch at her lonely post.”_

_“And then everything changed!” Hotaru chorused along with Setsuna._

_“And indeed it did,” Setsuna echoed. “For at the end of her time helping those others she tried to go back to her post, but found herself called back to be amongst those she had grown to love. And they had a surprise for her,” she said. “For they had found a new little girl like them – with great power, who was very lost and just a bit scared, and you know what?”_

_“What?”_

_“They didn’t want her to be alone,” Setsuna answered. “And so the other girl who was now very old and very tired of being very lonely left her old post behind. And joined her friends in making sure this new little one had a family of her own, and could learn about her powers without being lost, or scared, or alone ever.”_

_“The end!” Hotaru cheered._

_“Oh not quite yet,” Setsuna chuckled. “For you see, that new little girl is you,” she said, getting to the best part of all. “And everyone still has their happily-ever-after to get to.”_

Hotaru opened her eyes slowly, holding all of those memories close. They were precious. They were the happiest she’d ever been. She hefted the glaive one more time. “ _Expecto Patronum_.”

The light that burst from the end took form, to the cheers of all the gathered students. Hotaru watched wide eyed as it pulled together into the small, bright, solid form of a butterfly that flew over all of their heads. Eventually, before it disappeared, it came to rest on Hotaru’s nose.

“See,” Haruka grinned, ruffling her hair. “Knew you could do it.”

“I wanna see yours!” Hotaru demanded.

Haruka and Michiru looked at each other. “Together?” she said, holding out one hand.

“Why not?” Michiru mused.

_Something happy._

At first Michiru thought of bike rides into the sunset, curled up against Haruka’s strong back, feeling the sea air whip around them as they roared down the highway.

But there was so much more now to be happy about. It almost paled in comparison to those early, passionate days…

_“I wanna eat ice cream!” the toddler kicked and squirmed as Haruka wrestled her into her booster seat and affixed a bib around her neck._

_“After dinner,” Michiru sighed, setting out the dishes on the table. “Besides, if you had ice cream now, you wouldn’t get to eat your favourite.” And she made a dramatic show of whipping the top off the serving dish as Haruka pulled out her chair. Hotaru leaned forwards in interest and cheered at all the bright colored vegetables arranged on the dishes like smiley faces – really the only way they could trick her into eating them – and banged her tiny little fists on the table._

_“Where’s,” Setsuna, she began to ask, but before she had finished Hotaru was babbling and pointing over her shoulder at the Time Doors materializing in the living room. “Pu-to!” she cried._

_Sailor Pluto stepped forth from the foggy time dimension grinning sheepishly. “Sorry I’m late,” she said as she detransformed. She walked up to Hotaru and kissed her head before taking the seat Haruka offered her and lifting up a tall brown bag onto the table. “I brought you something,” she said, pulling out a wine that was clearly French from the labelling and clearly also very vintage from the year displayed below the name. Michiru gasped._

_“How did you get that?”_

_“Time travel,” Setsuna chuckled, setting the gift down on the table. “Supposedly, you’re going to say it pairs well with this meal.”_

_“It should pair magnificently,” she sputtered, moving to push out her chair. “I’ll go get the glasses.”_

_“Don’t worry,” Haruka grinned, already out of her seat and leaning in to kiss Michiru’s nose. “I’ve got them.”_

_“Ewwww,” Hotaru giggled, kicking her chubby little feet against the bottom of the table._

_“Did she get taller?” Setsuna observed._

_“Supposedly,” Haruka said as she re-entered the dining room, wine glasses in hand. “How’s the future.”_

_“It’s…good,” Setsuna said, smiling at the three of them. “Maybe even as good as this.”_

_Michiru concentrated on the warmth in the center of her chest, as she watched Setsuna serve Hotaru her dinner and Hotaru throw a mashed handful of carrots into Haruka’s hair._

_Not even bike rides into the sunset could quite compare..._

For Haruka’s part, she too thought Michiru would be the first thing on her mind. And she was, in a way, but she could see Hotaru watching excitedly as they prepared to cast the Dementor dispelling charm, and one memory bubbled up in her mind, brighter than all the others.

_“I’m home!” she called, kicking the door shut behind her and toing out of her shoes. “Michiru!”  
“There you are!” Michiru said as she made her way through the house from the back patio. “We were wondering when you’d get home.” In her arms, baby Hotaru laughed gleefully, tugging on Michiru’s hair, not that she seemed to mind._

_“Miss me?” Haruka grinned, shrugging out of her coat and setting it on its hook. She reached for Michiru and pulled her close, kissing her and then bending down and letting Hotaru grab one of her fingers. “Hello Sweet Pea,”_

_“Papa!” Hotaru cheered, and Haruka and Michiru froze, glancing between the little girl and each other._

_“That…was your first word,” Haruka gaped at the little munchkin._

_“Papa, papa, papa!” Hotaru declared again._

_“And here we’d been working on ‘Mama,’” Michiru muttered._

_All Haruka could do was laugh as she lifted the little girl out of Michiru’s arms and spun her around. “Who cares – Papa works,” She declared, mind reeling. She was Papa… “Papa works.”_

“I’ve got it,” Haruka said.

“Me too,” Michiru lifted her wand.

“ _Expecto Patronum_!” They said together.

The two spirals of light erupted from the wands and coiled around each other, spinning round and round through the air developing scaled hides and giant, powerful, wings. And then, too, the faces of the creatures formed: both with slitted eyes and sharp teeth grinning within large jaws.

“They have dragons,” a nervous looking third year in the crowd squeaked. “Dragons.”

Indeed, there were slight differences. Michiru’s had whiskers like a catfish’s adorning its face and Haruka’s had short arms and legs. But there was no mistaking them. The two dragons flew over the heads of the D.A. as the crowd gasped and Hotaru clapped. They spun together, faster and faster, until both scouts ended the charm and the dragons exploded in a burst of light.

“Well I definitely don’t wanna be on your bad side.” Fred Weasley joked.

“Say Fred,” George Weasley said as he watched the remaining white sparks – reminiscent of fireworks – fall down around them. “I have an idea…”

~ _SMH_ ~

Long after the D.A. meeting had ended, Michiru and Haruka lay awake in the Slytherin dorm. It really didn’t matter when they left, so long as everyone else was asleep.

At last Celeste McNair’s snores began to drift through the dark room. Michiru reviewed the spell they were to do one final time.

Haruka tapped her shoulder. And clasped her hand as her fingers danced through to simple motions of their signal for _ready_.

She nodded, raising the Hazel wand and tapping the top of Haruka’s head. She’d been practicing since Sunday. She murmured the incantation, not trusting it to silent casting, and was pleased as Haruka began to disappear, her features blending in with the room as something like a see through paint coated her from head to toe.

Michiru felt Haruka squeeze her hand. _Still here_. And then tapped the wand against her own head. The disillusionment charm washed over her like an egg being cracked over her head. Why did so much wix magic have to be unpleasant, she shivered.

Before departing, the grabbed Haruka’s broomstick as well, and disillusioned it too.

And then with Celeste’s snores still circulating obliviously about the room, the slipped out of the Slytherin dorm and up the stairs to the common room. It was quick work to sneak out into the dungeon and past the Bloody Baron, though they still had to run to get past Mrs. Norris – who was far to perceptive for any normal cat.

Once out in the open air, Haruka pulled her close and she grabbed hold of her as though this were any normal bike ride. But of course, it was a broom. She gasped as it left the ground suddenly, shooting up fifty feet in the air.

“You all right?” Haruka’s voice asked in front of her. And only that and the feeling of her body pressed against hers gave an evidence that she was there. All Michiru could see was the endless dark grounds far below.

“Fine,” she lied. Flying was alright. When one had Heliocopters and seatbelts. Or wings. “Let’s go.”

Haruka chuckled and directed them south east, towards the road to Hogsmeade. It took mere minutes to cross the border of the grounds and Michiru already had the key out in her hand.

The time doors had materialized by the time they landed.

“Alright,” she mused as they stepped through into the foggy time dimension. She held tight to Haruka with one hand and the precious Time Key with the other. “How is it you get us to the Ministry of Magic?”

At once the heavy lavender fog around them began to spin and the doors momentarily disappeared.

“Why does Setsuna like it in here?” Haruka muttered as she pressed closer to Michiru.

At last the fog cleared away from the door and it creaked open, revealing a dark hallway beyond.

Haruka cast the time-telling spell. “00:39.”

“We have to hurry then.” Michiru said, slipping the time key around her neck and grabbing her Henshin wand. “Let’s transform.”

No one was around to see the great lavender doors materialize in the Lobby of the Ministry of Magic. No one in his or her right mind thought it prudent to be at work that early or that late. Of those few that did live at the office, such as one Percy Weasley, they chalked it up to irresponsible placement of magical artifacts and scuttled off to their offices to draft complaint owls to the maintenance staff. No one bothered to open the doors, nor did they see the two figures slip out of it and towards the lifts at just past 00:40 at night.”

“We have to go down,” Neptune said, gazing into the depths of the mirror affixed to the tall trident.

“All the way down?” Uranus asked.

“Mhmm,” Neptune nodded and her partner pressed the button for the deepest level.

As the Elevator sped down to the bottom, Uranus drew her now twin swords and Neptune adjusted her grip on the still-new trident. Training really couldn’t compare to the first battle with a new weapon. Neither of them could deny they were excited to try them out.

At last the lift dinged, the doors pulled open, and Neptune glanced down at the mirror within the trident.

“This way,” she said, leading the way down the hall. Their footsteps made no noise as they sprinted down the stone corridor, thanks to the silencing charms they’d put on their boots before exiting the time doors. Michiru noticed the familiar hall and candles from the dreem she’d had three separate times this week.

And then they were at the end of the corridor with the sleeping Mr. Weasley just feet away, along with the door. And the snake was nowhere to be seen.

 _Do we wake him?_ Neptune signalled.

But Uranus shook her head. _Too many questions._ And besides, they needed him to draw out the snake.

And so they waited, ducking into a closet beside a large portrait. It seemed an impossibly long time that Uranus stared out into the hall and Neptune into the mirror before they heard the faint slip of many large coils racing along the floor.

Uranus nodded to Neptune as the watched the snake approach, getting up close to Mr. Weasley and lifting it’s great head, preparing the strike.

“Space Swords Blaster!” Uranus shouted, startling Mr. Weasley awake and drawing the Snake’s attention. But only for a second. The beast had enough time to hiss before the twin slashes severed its head. The serpent’s headless corpse collapsed to the floor as its head rolled towards Mr. Weasley, who was scrambling back out of the way. The eyes in its head were still rolling and its mouth still hissing though the rest of its body was a limp mess on the floor.

“I’ll finish it.” Neptune declared. “Submarine!” But as she spoke a crack split the air and the snake’s head was suddenly gone. Neptune glanced at Uranus, who shrugged.

“Oh,” Mr. Weasley gasped. “Oh goodness. Goodness. Th-thank you… I say… Are you with the Order?”

“Sure,” Uranus said, stowing her swords. “whatever you like.” And she looked at Neptune. “Ready to go.”

“In a moment.” She said, pointing the trident at the body of the snake. And using a charm they’d just learned jointly in Transfiguration and Charms. “ _Alio Emittam_ ” immediately the snake’s body disappeared, and hopefully was just now re-appearing in Setsuna’s quarters. Hopefully the Time Guardian saw it coming, Uranus thought.

They turned down the hall without another word to Mr. Weasley, who seemed torn between following them and remaining behind at the door. That was fine with the two of them. They raced back towards the lifts at a brisk pace, Neptune stowing the Trident as well once their exit was within sight. “Well that was interesting,” she commented as the neared the lift doors.

Uranus was about to respond when two things happened in quick succession.

The first was the cloud of smoke that swallowed them, covering them from head to toe and obscuring their view of the lifts.

The second was the lance of pain that shot through her leg and torso as several arrows pierced her from behind. She was down before she could shout, deflecting several off her swords before managing to cast _Protego_ with one.

“Time Doors?” she gasped as Neptune fumbled for the key.

“They…they won’t come down here.” She said, clenching the key in frustration. “But its no matter. The lift’s just over…”

“But as she spoke a great blast sounded outside the cloud of smoke and metal pieces were clanged against the floor.” Neptune cursed.

“ _Deep Submerge!_ ” she shouted, and the tidal wave washed the smoke screen away with it, and toppled over a cloaked figure at the end of the hall. _How did he get in_? She wondered before the realization hit her. Apparation. Perhaps these halls were warded against Portkeys and the like but Apparation could still be done.  
And she had never done it before, though she’d seen several classmates attempt it in Hogsmeade.

She pulled Uranus close and directed the Trident at their attacker. “Petrificus Totales!” She shouted, but with an ear-splitting crack, they vanished form sight, and reappeared across the room. She threw up a shield as a nasty-looking purple curse sailed towards them.

Uranus was down, and there were no telling whether this wix had reinforcements on the way.

“Hold on!” she shouted, concentrating with all her might on the time doors, many floors above. She grasped took a chance and vanished the trident, covering Uranus body with her own as she grasped the time key. _Take us there,_ she said, turning her body towards Uranus as if she were taking the single step that so many beginning apparitioners needed to jump start their ability.

The crack that split the air around them deafened her and she thought she heard the faint sound of something wizzing through the air.

But then the air around them was cool and dense with moist fog that clung to her skin. She opened her eyes onto the eerie landscape of the Time Dimension and had never loved it more.

“Think you spinched me,” Uranus said and held up a hand that had only four of the fingers it was meant to.

Neptune gasped. “No,” and glanced at the both of them checking for any other missing parts. Both feet, both arms, all intact. Thank goodness it was just a finger.

As she looked back towards Uranus the sky senshi grinned and shifted her hand, revealing the thumb she had tucked into her palm. “Just kidding.”

Neptune glared at her. “You are _not_ funny.” And then stood, grimacing as she noticed for the first time the pain in her shoulder. She twisted painfully to see… an arrow, dug in just beneath the skin. Clearly she’d disapparated before it could go all the way through. She looked down at Uranus. “Oh dear.” She said as she grasped her right arm and hauled her to her feet. “You won’t be flying like that.”

“I could manage,” Uranus gasped, hand coming down over her torso.

Arrows riddled her from waist to knee on her left side, some buried deeper than others.

“Seriously,” she gasped. “I’m fine.” But even as she spoke her uniform dissolved into yellow ribbons and then into her school robes. And Neptune had to swoop in and catch Haruka before she collapsed. “Okay…so I shouldah dodged faster.”

“Can you walk?” Neptune murmured.

“Have to, don’t I?” Haruka tried to grin as she tightened her hold on Neptune. The time doors opened up onto the path to Hogwarts and Neptune stayed transformed, using the extra strength to keep Haruka standing. She managed to conjure the trident and disillusion them again, but it would do little good. Haruka winced and muttered with every step and disillusionment couldn’t hide the trail of blood she left behind her as she limped with Neptune back to the castle.

They were halfway there when help arrived, maroon robes billowing out around Setsuna as she ran at full speed around the lake and right up to them.

“Here,” she said conjuring a stretcher with her wand.

“I am not getting carried back.” Haruka whispered.

“Don’t be stubborn,” Setsuna chided, swooping in and, despite Haruka’s current invisibility, settling her on the floating stretcher. “What are your wounds?”

“Not bad,” Haruka said.

“Six arrows,” Neptune commented beside her. Reappearing as she detransformed, dispelling the disillusionment. “I have one.”

“Right, How did I not see this?”

“Well be fair,” Haruka mumbled. “We didn’t see it either.”

“Possibly a ministry employee,” Michiru said. “Though why they were there that late, I don’t know. And they only appeared after we dispatched the snake.”

“Lovely thing it is, by the way.” Setsuna said. “We have much to learn about it.” And then she closed her eyes and cursed.

“What?” Michiru asked.

“Dolores saw me run from the castle,” Setsuna said, putting a disilliusionment over the stretcher and looking at Michiru. “Your story is I caught you sneaking off to Hogsmeade. And I’ve already given you detention.”

“And twenty points from Slytherin,” Michiru added. “It’s what Mcgonagall would do.”

“No I want the house cup!” Haruka’s disembodied voice exclaimed from beside them.

“Hush, yes we’ll do that as we approach the castle.” She said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Thank god your both okay.”

Michiru nodded, feeling Haruka reach out to take her hand as they made their way to the castle. She reached out and grasped Setsuna’s as well. “I’m not sure about Arthur Weasley, but the one who attacked us definitely saw us. If he works for their dark wizard,” she grew quiet. “And Arthur asked if we were with some Order. What do you suppose that is?”

Setsuna sighed, squeezing her hand. “I don’t know, but we’ll deal with it later.” She said, looking out at the many pine trees near the castle that had been decorated over the week with garlands in the house colors, many candles, and stars on each of the tree-tops. “We’ll deal with it after Christmas.”

~ _SMH_ ~

At just past 1 in the morning Harry Potter awoke screaming, clutching his throat as though to make sure it were still attached to his body.

“Harry, Harry mate, can you breathe?” Ron said, pulling his arms away from his throat. “What’s wrong?”

Harry clenched his teeth. His scar was searing hot. “Your dad!” He gasped. “Ron your dad was a-attacked.”

“What?” Ron paled. “Harry what are you saying.

“No he’s…he’s fine. He got attacked by a snake. But he’s fine. The snake’s dead” Harry said, and when Ron let go of his arms he reached up to clutch his scar. “I _just_ saw it…I felt it.” and he cried out in pain as the burning in is scar intensified, coupled with a cold fury that filled him from head to toe. He trembled, this was not his rage. _Voldemort was angry_ , and angrier than Harry had ever felt before.

“Get Mcgonagall!” He heard Ron shout and someone scrambled out of their dorm. “Now…what d’you mean _felt it_?”

~ _SMH_ ~

The Gryffindor table was a somber and anxious bunch Thursday morning. The Weasleys were especially antsy. They all huddled together with Harry and Hermione at the end of the table. And Ron wouldn’t even eat, mashing his home fries until they were unrecognizable.

“What’s wrong?” Usagi asked as the transfer students took the seats next to theirs.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Ron muttered. “Dad get’s attacked by a bloody snake and Mcgonagall won’t even let us go home’n see him.”

“She said he’s fine,” Ginny stressed. “And Mum doesn’t want us all under foot.”

“Wouldn’t be underfoot though,” Fred complained. “Dad’s had the scare of his life, surely he needs someone to lift his spirits.”

“You’ll all be going home tomorrow night in any case,” Hermione said. “I’m more concerned that Harry _saw_ it.”

“You saw it happen?” Rei said suddenly very serious. “Like a vision of the future.”

“Or of a snake,” Harry muttered. “Honestly, it isn’t a big deal.” He insisted. “I’m a parselmouth – it makes sense that I can see through the snakes eyes.”

“No it doesn’t mate,” Ron sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Trust me, it doesn’t.”

“I’m with Ron on this one, Harry.” Hermione said. “Especially as you said you could feel it too.”

“ _You felt it_?” Usagi gasped.

“Erm…sorta.” Harry said, rubbing his throat for a moment. “felt it die when…well it must have been a ministry employee…cut its head off.” He swallowed. “Was kinda weird, feeling your head rolling all over the floor without your body I mean.”

“Oh now I definitely don’t want to eat,” George exclaimed dramatically, drawing a few laughs as he pushed his plate away. “Thanks, Harry, Mate.”

“sorry,” Harry muttered as he saw the Great Hall doors swing open. And then he couldn’t look away.

Michiru and Haruka had just entered the dining hall – Haruka limping and leaning heavily on Michiru. Harry could see bandages wrapped around her leg that went all the way from her ankle to above the hem of her robe. He even caught a bit of bandaging peeking out of the neck of Michiru’s robes as she brushed her hair back.

“What happened to those two?” Harry wondered.

“Ahh…” Usagi stammered as she glanced between Mina and Rei. “I dunno…”

“Oh I heard Lee talking about it. He was out on pranking exclusive business last night – saw Michiru and Setsuna having a row with Umbitch. Aparently the _she_ wanted to give them detention but Setsuna already had. Rumor is they snuck out to Hogsmeade and got attacked by an acromantula.

“Hmm, but they never leave the forest.” Hermione said. “Wasn’t it only Michiru who got detention as well.”

“Beats me,” George shrugged. “Maybe Haruka got caught when she got injured.

“Looks bad,” Harry said as he took in the wounds. And Michiru’s hair, there was something strangely familiar about it.

He remembered suddenly, being the snake, and rearing up to challenge whomever had interrupted its mission, meeting dark blue eyes and seeing a flash of turquoise hair before a bright arc of light separated it from its body. He remembered seeing white boots step out into the corridor and two people speaking in low voices before he awoke, gasping, clutching his throat.

 _Surely_ it had not been Michiru and Haruka there at the snake attack.

But he couldn’t deny, as he stared after them, that it had been the seventh year students. He was sure. Perhaps being part of the snake was messing with him. But he was _sure_.

 _What were they doing there?_ he wondered. _And what…weird Wizarding robes were those_.

 

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good~_

 

 

 


	9. The Tales of Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Christmas tales are as you'd expect. Some shall take you by surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> General Disclaimer here. source material is not mine (sad face).

  **The Tales Christmas**

The Hogwarts Express rolled out of Hogsmeade station Friday at exactly noon as Harry Potter followed behind Hermione and Ron with a backpack – full of clothes – that Ron had lent to him. He’d protested at first (his trunk was fine) but as Hermione had pointed out, it was rather impractical for a two-week holiday.

This being the only time Harry had ever left school for Christmas, he had not had such a bag of his own.

It wasn’t what was making him frown though. Rather, it was thoughts of his dream, just a day prior, that were distracting him from his otherwise boundless excitement about Christmas with Sirius.

As Ron pushed open the door of the last train car, Harry rubbed his throat as he thought of the snake. He could still feel the twin blades slicing through his scales. The pain had long since faded, but he was still unnerved – especially by the brief experience of being headless.

Voldemort’s rage remained ever present as well – bubbling just under the surface of his skin like a phantom itch. He’d kept his mouth shut about it. Really, it was the last thing he wanted to bother his friends with so close to Christmas.

“There you are!” Ginny exclaimed and Harry saw her poking her head out of the very last compartment of the train. “Come on, we saved you all seats.”

Hermione and Ron were due to patrol in an hour, and Ginny, Neville, and Luna all wanted to know what the hell’d been bugging Harry for two days. “Is it Voldemort?” Neville asked.

But Harry shook his head and had started to speak, when the shriek of laughter and the bump of someone stumbling into their compartment door startled him. He looked around at all of them and held a finger to his lips. Immediately Hermione had locked and silenced the door before anyone else could get their wand up.

“Now.” Ginny demanded. “What is up with you?”

“It’s hard to explain.”

“Well we believed you about being the snake.” Ron threw in. “Go on mate, try us.”

With one last glance at the next compartment, Harry checked that the window was shut tight as well and then ran his hand through his hair. “While I was the snake,” he began. “I saw who killed it.”

“Oh well do tell us,” Luna smiled as they all lean in. “Won’t Ginny and Ron want to thank them.”

“Well see, I don’t know how, but the ones who killed the snake were Haruka and Michiru…”

~ _SMH_ ~

As the Hogwarts Express was rolling southwards towards London, Hotaru Tomoe was stepping lightly up the stairs to the sixth floor, with a curious Ami Mizuno in toe.

“Have you spoken to her before?”

“No, but Luna asked me to keep her company.”

“Aren’t there…at least 57 other ghosts in this castle for her to talk to?” Ami asked. Up ahead was the music wing – largely unused these days though a few clubs still practiced there. Hotaru closed her eyes and stopped in the arc way that opened onto the corridor, snapping them open after only a few moments.

“She’s in that one,” Hotaru said, pointing her hand at the third door on the right.

Ami shot a stunned look towards her, trying to remember if Hotaru had ever mentioned that she could _tell_ where the ghosts were (and wasn’t that an absolutely fascinating manifestation of her powers). But then Hotaru was pushing open the door to the room, and Ami found herself with more stunning things to look at.

It looked as though it had been used just yesterday, despite music classes no longer being run. There wasn’t a spec of dust anywhere, though the room did have a hazy look to it – courtesy of the natural sunlight streaming in from the windows high up near the ceiling.

The rest of the room was polished wood – and the walls were all engraved with instruments. Ami marvelled at the detail on the closest one – a Lyre with vine patterns spiralling around its grip. The wall carvings gleamed with silver, gold, and bronze paint. And the floor…

“Thank goodness this is the string room,” Hotaru was saying as she went up to the carving of the silver violin, feet stepping lightly across the dark navy carpeting with its pin-pricks of color woven in like stars. “I was dreading having to summon her with a flute.”

“Summon her?” Ami asked.

“Uhuh.” Hotaru nodded. “Luna says that’s the surest way to get her to speak with new people. It’s how Luna found her in the first place.”

And then Ami watched as Hotaru turned to face the carving of the violin and bowed to it, sweeping her arms out to her sides. Instantly the carving began to glow and the silver pulled away from the carving, warping and growing until it was a real violin – with silver strings and real-looking wood elegantly carved into the neck and body of the instrument. It settled into Hotaru’s hand, and she made a face as she attempted to rest it on her shoulder. “First-year sized, please,” she said and grinned when it shrunk accommodatingly. The bow, Ami only noticed now, hovered next to it. And Hotaru grasped it in her free hand.

“You could play too.” Hotaru said, gesturing the bow at a carving of a harp to her left.

“I really only ever play it as a weapon,” she said, “I wonder…”

“What?” Hotaru asked.

“I read this spell the other day – for vanishing and conjuring,” she murmured. “Perhaps…” she took out the Alder wand and considered. Then pronounced the conjuring spell.

It began with a rush of icy wind that sent fractals of snow swirling around the room despite the closed windows. They gathered together in the air in front of Ami, coalescing into the familiar, ice blue and platinum design of the Mercury Harp. Hotaru squealed excitedly as Ami took it in her hands.

It felt heavier now than it did as Mercury, but was still a comfortable weight in her hand. She adjusted it so it could be held and played while she stood and nodded to Hotaru “let’s hope it doesn’t cause a blizzard.”

Hotaru giggled. “Okay, and a one…” her voice dropped off as her bow touched the strings, a soft opening note filling the warm space.

Ami followed suit with the faster-paced chimes of her own instrument. She plucked away at the cool strings and let her mind drift, matching her melody to Hotaru’s slow tune. It sounded like a lullaby, and Ami wondered if it wasn’t just that. She could imagine Michiru had sung the girl to sleep many times in the past year.

She scanned the room as they played, taking note of the starry carpet that twinkled at the pace of their music, as though it were dancing…

And then _someone_ was dancing: a ghost who swayed and twirled as she rose up through the floor. Ami had seldom seen her and never up close. She had her back to the musicians, swaying as her feet matched the lit-up stars on the floor, cloak drifting around her as she moved through the air with easy, simple steps. The two girls watched her while they played, Hotaru’s smile growing wider and Ami’s eyes taking in the conservative cut of the robe, and the aristocratic hair style that might have come from centuries ago.

Even as she tried to put together more, the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw finally whirled to face them and stopped abruptly, eyes narrowing. “You are not the Lovegood girl.”

And she began to sink towards the floor again, feet disappearing within the dark carpet.

“Wait!” Hotaru cried, rushing up to her, violin vanishing as she dropped it from her hand. “Luna sent us…well me.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Hotaru Tomoe.”

The Grey Lady raised an eyebrow at her outstretched hand. “Pleasure,” she said without attempting to shake it.

 _Wait how silly of me_ , Ami realized, _her hand would go right through Hotaru’s_.

“And this other one is…”

“Mizuno,” Ami said, dismissing her harp and stepping up to the ghost. “Ami Mizuno.”

“You are both…strange.” The Grey Lady decided. She nodded to Hotaru. “You most of all.”

“How so,” Hotaru said tilting her head to the side.

“You are both very young, and yet old. I can tell by your eyes. Further you have an energy about you,” she said to Hotaru. “It is almost like mine…but not.” And she crossed her translucent arms over each other. “Why are you here?” she asked.

“To talk to you,” Hotaru said.

“And at Hogwarts,” the ghost prompted.

Hotaru shrugged. “We’re looking for someone. Hey! Maybe you could help with that.” And she looks at Ami. “Ghosts would know about this, right?”

“We’re looking for a person who was reborn,” Ami explained. “And, well I suppose as a ghost you might have a bit more information about that process.”

But the Grey Lady huffed. “I’m hardly interested in stirring up mortal dramas. Besides I know nothing of Reincarnation. Ghosts don’t get that particular privilege and it would please me if you wouldn’t bring it up. Some of us who learn of it after our death get quite irritated about it – I wouldn’t bring it up to the Friar.”

“But…surely wizards have some answers,” Hotaru persisted. “We’re supposed to find the answer in your library”

“It’s hardly my library,” The Grey Lady snapped. “And no my…Ravenclaw’s founder,” she amended, and Hotaru and Ami traded glances. “Knew nothing of Reincarnation.”

“Your what?” Hotaru jumped on the misspoken word. “Did you know the founder of Ravenclaw?”

Ami spoke up. “That would make you at least a thousand years old…if the dates in the histories are correct.”

The ghost said nothing but did give them a confirming nod.

“Please, won’t you tell us about her…anything would be helpful,” Hotaru said.

But the ghost only narrowed her eyes at them and spun away, firmly refusing to speak.

Ami bit her lip. She was about to insist – they really did _need_ to know more about Ravenclaw – it was their only clue – when she noticed the drawn look on the ghost’s face, making her look aged despite her eternal youth. And she chose a different tactic. “I know it’s hard,” Ami said. “Having all these memories of people and things that are all but forgotten now. It feels like no one understands how much they mattered. It must be so much easier to keep it all inside.”

“How would you know?” The ghost muttered.

Ami smiled. “I don’t remember very much, but I have glimpses all the time of this old…beautiful kingdom. There’s especially one party I remember – you were there.” She nods to Hotaru. “Which I recall being quite unusual, but it was Serenity’s coming-of-age ball, so of course everyone was in attendance.” She sighed. “Everyone was so happy. And all I can think is this must have been just before the war broke out. I feel it,” she said covering her heart with her hand. “As if it’s this tangible regret – if only we had seen sooner what was coming. Perhaps we could have stopped it.”

The Grey Lady had turned back to face them, and hovered closer to the floor looking between them both. Ami glanced at Hotaru and then continued on.

“That was…my first life,” she explained. “As you know, very few people remember them. We’re…somewhat unique. And even we don’t remember much. Usually, they have little effect on our current lives, but…” she looked past them at the carving of the Lyre, glowing brightly in a beam of orange sunlight. “Sometimes some one will say something or do something. Like my mother once came home with a bottle of wine – expensive kind she never bought – and said we should celebrate because my exam scores had just come in the mail. And we toasted. The wine was amazing, so rich…and I was inexplicably sad as soon as I tasted it. I felt this nostalgia I couldn’t place and could not articulate because well,” she chuckled. “My mother would think me quite mad if I started explaining a life I lived a thousand years ago. She just wouldn’t believe such nonsense.”

The Grey Lady then did something Luna said she’d never seen her do. She smiled. “My mother was much the same: so incredibly bright, but had no excuses for foolery – and she had The Sight as well.” She looked to Hotaru. “And you, little-old one, have you a past life?”

“Yes. I was younger when it ended,” Hotaru explained. “I don’t remember as much as even Ami. Just…at that ball.” She looked up at the fifth year. “That was the proposal wasn’t it?”

Ami gasped. “You’re right! Oh, I remember that as well. It was marvellous.”

“It probably started all that trouble with Beryl though.” Hotaru sighed. “But it was so perfect. See: our princess, Serenity,” she told the Grey Lady, “had been courting her prince in secret for a long time, and he snuck away from all his knights to get into the palace. And he confronted her mother and he said. “Don’t you know I love her, and I’ll marry her? And our Kingdoms would be one as they were always meant to be.” She giggled. “And Serenity didn’t even wait for her mother to tell him it was okay – she demanded they start making plans right then.”

“She was always headstrong,” Ami smiled.

The Grey Lady too chuckled briefly before becoming serious once more. “But you said this started some trouble?”

“It did, the Prince’s own even turned against him,” Ami recalled. “Luna – not your Luna, ours, remembers it better than I. But his four knights were corrupted by evil. And they stormed the palace with a dark army,” she said. “That’s when it all ended.” Then she shivered. “Sorry…I still get flashes sometimes of facing off with Zoicite.”

“Zoicite?” The Grey Lady interrupted. “Surely you don’t mean the Knight of the West?”

At that, Ami traded a look with Hotaru whose mouth had dropped open.

“We’ve never called him that name.” Hotaru said.

“It was the title he was given by the Ancient Kingdom upon his knighting,” the Grey Lady said, excitement filling her voice. “Which means you knew Cyrus as well!”

“Who,”

“Cyrus,” The Grey Lady insisted, flying right up to Ami until they were nose to nose. And Ami shrunk back from the imposing ghost, whose eyes appeared much less demure now, and much more wild. “Twas his name before he took his title – Sir. Nephrite.” She said. “What became of Nephrite?”

“He…he died in the battle for the Moon Kingdom,” Ami stuttered. “And he was reincarnated under the control of Metalia,”

“What was that?”

“A demon,” Hotaru supplied. “Summoned by Beryl.”

“ _Her_ , I recall that name now,” The Grey Lady realized “Not a witch, but a Lady of Elysium’s court.”

“You knew Elysium?” Ami said before realizing how dull that must sound – if she knew of Mamoru’s knights than surely she knew of his kingdom.

“The Ancient kingdom of course,” The Grey Lady rolled her translucent eyes. “Or, as we ghosts came to call it, the Forgotten Kingdom. One morning it seemed that the whole world woke up and forgot its existence. I was dead by that time, and it was quite baffling. Even its mention in History scrolls was relegated to myth and metaphor.”

“And…and you knew Endymion as well?” Hotaru queried.

The Grey Lady nodded. “When I was Head Girl he was a first year – right alongside his ridiculous friends including… including Cyrus,” she said.

“Who was Neph…Cyrus, to you?” Ami said, noting how the Grey Lady’s eyes had fallen towards the floor. Perhaps, if she’d been alive, she would have cried.

“My brother,” she said at last. “We both ran away – me before him, and there was a big fight apparently. History says my mother died of heartbreak,” the Grey Lady grew quiet. “She must have known – her power was great even without her diadem – what would happen to him. He never came home again, and shortly afterwards Elysium was long forgotten. They blamed her death on me because I had run away first…what a prideful fool I was.”

“We all make mistakes,” Ami whispered, reaching out to put a hand on the Grey Lady’s shoulder even though it fell right through her. “Is that…why you became a ghost?”

“It doesn’t matter now,” she said with bitterness in her tone. “You are kind, to try to comfort me. I have rarely known the living to be truly kind.” And she floated a bit farther from Ami and Hotaru. “And Cyrus, he is alive now then, like you?”

“No,” Ami swallowed. “No… he died, again, just a few years ago. And he was a ghost of sorts for a while, but,” she looked at Hotaru. “What ever did happen to the Shittenou’s stones?”

Hotaru frowned. “I don’t recall them being in the apartment while we were there – I would have felt them, they had a very particular magical energy.”

“So he’s gone then,” The Grey Lady interrupted them. “Not even back as a ghost.”

“We’re sorry,” Hotaru said and gasped as the Grey Lady turned away and began to sink beneath the music room floor “Wait! Wait!”

“What,” she snapped, whipping her head around to glare at them.

“We said we don’t know where he is, not that’s he’s gone.” Hotaru said quickly. “We don’t know where the other knights are either, or Endymion,” She told the ghost. “That’s why we’re here. Looking for them. And you could help us.”

“How?” she asked, raising one pale eyebrow.

“His name,” Ami jumped in. “We didn’t know Nephrite had any different name before now. If we knew who he and you were in life, perhaps we would have a better chance of finding him in a book.

The Grey Lady paused, lower half already sunk beneath the knit rug. She turned her head back towards them “Cyrus Ravenclaw,” she said simply before disappearing from view.

As soon as she disappeared, Ami and Hotaru looked at each other

“We’ve been looking in the wrong section!” they said together, Hotaru led the way as they raced out of the music classroom, feet echoing in the stairwell as they clambered down towards the second floor and the corridor that would connect them with Ravenclaw Tower.

~ _SMH_ ~

Harry and his friends arrival at King’s Cross was greeted by a welcome party twice the size of the group of returning students. As Molly Weasley bustled forwards to hug them, Harry found himself beset by an overexcited, mangy black dog that bounded right up to him, barking like mad, and propped his front paws on Harry’s shoulders, tongue lolling out of his mouth. Harry laughed and leaned away as Padfoot tried to lick him.

“Bad Snuffles,” Remus Lupin berated as he slipped between Mad-Eye Moody and Tonks and pulled the excitable Animagus away from Harry. He wagged his finger at the dog, giving him a stern look. “Moody was quite serious about the leash – _oh no you don’t_.” He groaned as the dog began to yipe as though laughing, wagging his tail and lifting one paw to point at himself. It took Harry a moment, but Ron burst out laughing immediately.

“Serious, Sirius,” Ron wheezed, and Hermione and Ginny chuckled along with him.

“That pun got old in first year,” Remus muttered. “You alright Harry?”

“Yes, Professor,” he grinned, adjusting his backpack.

“Just Remus,” he corrected with a soft smile. “I’m hardly a professor anymore.”

“Yeah well better than your current replacement,” Ron said. “Bloody Hag’s got even worse – you know Harry reckons she’s reading the mail now.”

“She can’t do that!” Tonks exclaimed as she waved her wand and shrunk the largest of their bags, stuffing them in her pocket.

“She can as High Inquisitor,” Hermione said. “Oh! That’ll be Mum and Dad,” and she hugged Harry and then Ron a few seconds longer (a move that garnered a blush from both of them and a suspicious look from Mrs. Weasley) before rushing off with a parting promise to see them for New Years.

“Harry,” Mrs. Weasley smiled widely as she moved past her children to hug him. He couldn’t quite breathe from how tightly she held him. “I heard you were the one who got the Aurors to Arthur so quickly,” she sniffed. “ _Thank you!_ I know he wasn’t hurt – oh, but it was a near thing.”

Harry felt some warm and unfamiliar feeling twist inside him as Mrs. Weasley squeezed him one last time and proceeded to fuss with his hair. She could be overbearing, but he could admit it did still feel nice to be fussed over. “Anytime,” Harry promised as something occurred to him. “Where is Mr. Weasley?”

“Oh, he’s at home. Or, well, at Grimmauld. It was still such a fright he had yesterday. Tea and Pepper-up potion aren’t quite enough in these situations. And he’s agreed to put the missions on hold for a little while – give us all a break.” Mrs. Weasley explained in a rush.

“Enough catching-up!” Moody barked. “Er’s better places to be doing that.” And he waved them back towards the exit, wand ready by his side as his magical eye zoomed in every direction around the crowded station.

Harry fell in with Ron and Ginny as the adults fanned out around their group, save Snuffles who was running in circles in front of the teens – much to their amusement and Mad-eye’s annoyance.

“Are you gonna ask Dad about them?” Ron whispered as they exited the platform. “Blimey – he wouldn’t even know who they were.”

“Wonder if he saw them kill it,” Ginny continued. “Maybe he could tell you why they came back hurt.”

Harry nodded. “I don’t know if I want to ask him outright though. Not sure I want everyone to know I…saw it.”

“Don’t worry, we can get it out of him on Christmas Eve,” Ginny said.

“Yeah,” Ron laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Dad always gets chatty after a pint of Pumpkin Nog.”

Harry nodded, as Snuffles broke into a run through the station proper – chasing down a hapless tourist with a pastry in hand. He joined in with the group’s laughter and felt the joy filling him up, replacing his near constant sense of unease. A break from Hogwarts might, for once, be just what he needed.

~ _SMH_ ~

In the two days leading up to Christmas Eve, all the scouts spent long hours absconded away in the Ravenclaw library pouring over the little-read relics preserved there: scrolls with Rowena Ravenclaw’s writings scrawled across the fragile parchment. Even Usagi, bored and frustrated by the delicate, narrow script, powered through at least one of the reams of parchment each day, though Ami reviewed those same scrolls over long after the others returned to their dorms at night. There were usually at least two of them researching, seeking out useful information and passing the scrolls off to Ami to add to her growing length of parchment notes. But nearly every night leading up to Christmas eve, there were a few hours when it was only Ami tucked away in among the stacks, unable to tear herself away from the lifetime’s worth of writings. And it was a lifetime. Hogwarts a History claimed Ravenclaw had begun keeping her diaries at 15 and continued up to her death at a stunning 127. They focused on the journals written in the last twenty years of her life, but even then Ami tried to be thorough, skimming over the earlier scrolls with a relish.

The vigor with which she took to research was astonishing to the Hogwarts students remaining in the castle, though perfectly normal to the scouts.

“Ami are you alright?” Roger Davies, who’d stayed at Hogwarts to study his NEWTs asked at lunch on Christmas Eve. All the scouts had sat at the Ravenclaw table that day. “It’s just you’ve barely left our library in days. Are you all really worried about the OWLs or something?”

“Oh yes,” Mina declared loudly, over-exaggeratedly nodding her head. “It’s definitely the OWLs.”

Ami shot Mina a look over her fourth cup of coffee. Beside her, Makoto sighed and traded a frustrated look with Rei. Someone needed to tell Minako not to take point on lying.

Roger, thankfully, merely shrugged and said. “Well whatever it is, you should at least sleep... Brocklehurst says you haven’t been up to your dorm in two days.”

“I’ve got coffee,” Ami said. “Granted, studies do show that prolonged use of caffeine as a substitute for somnolence can have rather adverse effects on the individual, but It also found that students who partook in the behaviour tended not to experience or care about said negative outcomes in the brief periods of time they exhibited the behaviour, particularly during periods of research.”

“Er…”

“She’ll sleep when she has her answers,” Makoto assured him.

Answers, however didn’t stop Mina from insisting they all attend the Christmas Eve celebrations. She was trying the Wizard Crackers, Goddamn it, and no research ventures were going to prevent that. And as Umbridge was away for the holiday, the prospect of the feast was even more enticing.

So it was that the scouts found themselves away from their investigation and seated along one table in the center of the Great Hall. The decorations, which had been splendid throughout the advent season, were now awe-worthy. Mina marvelled at the new silver and red candles that burned a perfect gold overhead for so long that she didn’t realize there was food on the table until Rei bopped her on the head with an accompanying Christmas cracker.

The feast was a jovial affair that not even Professor Snape’s permanent frown could spoil. Conversations were filled with exclamations about the pudding, the presents expected come morning, and the running argument between Hooch and Mcgonagall about who would win the Boxing Day Quidditch Tournament. Mcgonagall swore by the Montrose Magpies, but Hooch was adamant that her old team, The Holly Head Harpies had the better strategy.

It was an argument of particular interest to Minako, as she had never actually seen the two interact and it looked…exactly like how she fought with Rei. She looked over at Setsuna who was deep in conversation with Haruka and Michiru and searched for a way to get her attention.

Her eyes fell on one of the remaining Christmas crackers and she swiped it up off the table.

“Hotaru!” she shouted, leaning over the table and holding out the end of the cracker. “You haven’t opened one yet.”

There. Operation Halt Conversation: successful. Mina and Hotaru pulled the cracker until it exploded apart in a cloud of blue smoke, leaving behind an oversized Stetson that Haruka promptly dropped on Hotaru’s head, an assortment of treats, and a pack of exploding snap cards that Michiru eyed with suspicion.

“I’m always afraid they’ll blow your fingers off,” she said, her hand hovering close as Hotaru examined the designs on the cards.

And finally, Minako caught Setsuna’s eye. She glanced pointedly at Hooch and Mcgonagall seated next to Setsuna, and raised her hand.

“ _Together?”_ she gestured.

Setsuna chuckled and shook her head. With her own hand she signed: “ _Working on it.”_

 _Hmmm…_ Minako thought as she considered the two teachers. She hadn’t done any match making in _ages_. She watched the interactions between the two as closely as she could without them or any others noticing. Considering they were only 29 for dinner, this was quite hard. But, she’d learned enough by the time the final course appeared on the table to lean over to Rei and Usagi and whisper. “We’re going on a mission, pass it on.” Then promptly, she declared she was done and taking her leave, swiping two more Christmas crackers up as she left.

Setsuna watched as one by one the younger scouts trickled out of the dining room, until finally only Hotaru was left, glancing between the doors and Setsuna wondering how soon after Makoto she could make her exit.

At least there, Setsuna could help her. “I think it’s about time you headed to bed,” she said as the dishes began to disappear off the table-top. A few professors were cracking open another bottle of wine now that the students had dwindled.

Hotaru leapt up. “Okay” and worked very hard to tamp down on her excitement as she left.

Thankfully there was a good excuse handy tonight.

“I’ve never seen an eleven year old that excited for bed time,” Professor Sprout observed.

Setsuna laughed. “Well I’ve told her the later she stays up, the longer it will take her presents to appear.

And the staff and faculty laughed as another two students suddenly jumped up and said their goodbyes, racing off to their dorm. Setsuna laughed along with them and as the conversation resumed, focused her attention on the future, increasingly clear at least in the context of Hogwarts. She paid particular attention to the events which would be playing out within the hour and had to give Minako credit for her effectiveness, if not her tact.

~ _SMH_ ~

Minerva begged off climbing up to the clock tower to watch the meteor shower with the other staff. Albus might have found it the perfect spec of whimsy with which to usher in Christmas Day, but she could watch the meteors perfectly well from the comfort (or rather warmth) of her desk. And besides, Rolanda’s promise of company and a chess game seemed much preferable to Albus attempts at poetry or Rubeus drunken carolling (not that she didn’t enjoy both on occasion, but for pityssake, Christmas seemed to bring out the worst lyricism in both of them).

So it was that while the other professors made their way up the main stairs she and Rolanda found themselves walking through the entrance hall and along the southern corridor, filled with the full light of the moon streaming in from the high windows.

“Don’t know why they want to go out in this,” Rolanda complained as they walked past the ground floor classrooms. “Warming charms only do so good in this cold and with all that wind whipping about.”

“And yet you’ll coach Quidditch in blizzards,” Minerva chuckled.

“Quidditch is a test of nerve and skill – weather’s part of the experience,” Rolanda defended. “Tell me I’m wrong – you get a sense of accomplishment out of scoring a goal when half your fingers are frozen together – you don’t get the same sense from pointing out animal-shaped stars.”

“Your grasp of constellations continues to astound me,” Minerva chuckled.

“Hey I may have dozed through five years of Astronomy, but there’s plenty else up there that’s fascinating besides what animals they look like,” Rolanda continued. “I mean consider what those muggles have done with their telescopes. You know there’s plans to get one _into_ space? I’ve been dying to know how they go about that.”

 _Oh good I chose a decent present,_ Minerva congratulated herself.

Unbenounced to them, eight students were all hiding inside a classroom they were passing, all crowded close to the cracked open doors. Three wands – one of Blackthorn, one Willow, and one Cherry, as well as a glaive, pointed out from within the classroom, all were levitating charmed items that the professor and coach walked into completely unexpectedly. Minerva would later curse herself for being so entertained by Rolanda that she did not see the mistletoe until it bopped her on the nose.

“Oh for godssake!” she grumbled, before noticing the white berries. She went to brush it aside, but it stayed close, hovering over she and Rolanda’s heads.

“Well someone was thorough,” Rolanda murmured.

Indeed, Minerva noticed, there wasn’t just one sprig of mistletoe, but a whole cluster, floating in a circle around them.

“ _Finite Incantatem,”_ she muttered and groaned as the sprigs multiplied. The berries also began flashing Christmas colors.

“I believe you all may be teaching them too well,” Rolanda chuckled.

One of the sprigs bumped Mcgonagall’s nose and she blushed, swatting it away though it didn’t go far, swooping back in to dance around she and the Quidditch coach. “Not students, though I'd no idea she was such a prankster – this has Setsuna written all over it.”

“Oh,” Rolanda laughed, “Has she spoken to you too?”

Minerva turned away from glaring at the mistletoe and stared, face growing even redder, at Rolanda. “What did she say to you?”

“Oh exactly what she said to you, I expect.” Rolanda smirked. “She’s got as much mischief in her as those twins, though I’d guess it’s not her behind this as much as her students.” She batted another sprig of mistletoe away from her nose and tried another counter charm.

A number of the plants burst into a rain of sparks, but the rest carried on flashing red, gold, silver, and green. In fact they began flashing to a beat, the chimes of “Jingle Bells” carrying through the air.

“I want to be impressed but I hate this song,” Rolanda shrugged. “There is a quick way of getting rid of them, you know?”

Minerva blinked once, twice. Was Rolanda really suggesting… “Oh of course not,” she blurted out. “We’ll find a counter charm,” she grumbled as she banished a sprig back with her wand to no lasting effect. “Children have to learn that people have boundaries.”

Rolanda observed her bemused. “Are you really so opposed? Because your blush suggests otherwise.”

Minerva froze halfway through the wand movements of a more complicated counter-spell and stared down at Rolanda. “I… _you_ are my friend. It would be quite inappropriate of me to undermine that in a way that made you – ”

“Min,” Rolanda interrupted her. “Wait a moment,” she grinned. “You _have_ thought of me that way.”

“Is this conversation really necessary,” Minerva queried, grabbing a particularly insistent mistletoe out of the air and strangling it in her fist. “You’re not,”

“You think _I’m_ not interested in _you?_ ” Rolanda said and quite suddenly began to laugh. “And here I am telling Setsuna it’s not me who’s hung up about it.”

Minerva lost her grip on the sprig of Mistletoe then and she gaped at Rolanda.

“But…all these years.”

Rolanda shrugged. “You were married. And then you were a widow and, quite honestly the past few years I _had_ considered you might return the interest, but I could never tell if you felt the same or if it was just your Gryffindor Prudishness.”

“We are not prudish.” Minerva sputtered.

“Chivalrous, same thing really. Anyways, I’ve wondered a fair few times over the years if you were interested.”

“ _Years_ ,” Minerva tried to process. “But… but your family.”

“Are pureblooded old farts?” Rolanda howled with laughter, not even noticing the mistletoe that had settled on her head. “ And you thought I was just as full of ridiculous pureblood notions about sensibilities – _Min,_ puh-lease _,_ I played for the Harpies.” She wagged her eyebrows. “What did you think we did off the pitch – gossiped about the Canon’s Keeper?”

“I’m sure I assumed you had better taste than that,” Minerva murmured, blushing furiously as she flicked away another hovering sprig of mistletoe. She considered Rolanda’s grinning face, and her hand twitched, aching to grab hers. “Does that mean that all this time?”

“Mhmm,” Rolanda nodded, a grin splitting across her face.

“Oh,” She felt she should be more articulate than that. It wasn’t often she was left speechless. But… Setsuna had been right. _She’ll be smug about this for sure, forget that I’m technically her…_ ”And I’m you boss!” Minerva realized. “Oh, the board of Governors is going to talk, no question.”

“Are you saying we’ll be giving them something to talk about,” Rolanda persisted.

“This would _certainly_ not be permitted.”

“Funny I don’t see that particular educational decree,” Rolanda mused. “Oh let them talk. I can’t believe this. I thought I was just interpreting this friendship the wrong way – I’ve done it sooo many times. And you’re saying the one time I think I’m wrong. I’m actually _right_.”

“I believe that can be summed up as we’ve both been fools,” Minerva murmured. “I do…oh for godssake.” She snapped snatching her mistletoe assailant with her hand and glaring at it. “I am getting to it!”

Hooch burst into laughter and took Minerva’s hand in hers. “Could you get to it a little quicker?” she said as she leaned in.

The next moment, all the mistletoe was bursting into showers of silver and gold sparks that rained down on the moonlit corridor’s two occupants, both uncaring that it left a dusting of sparkles across their robes, hair, and the floor.

With her impeccable hearing, Minerva could hear the stifled giggling from the classroom close by. However her current situation discouraged any sort of immediate investigation. She was quite sure she knew who had devised this particular prank. It would be simple to track them down at a more convenient time. In any case, she intended to ensure the appropriate houses received a fair number of points for all the students involved. (A jump in the point totals she’d absolutely deny in the morning). She was also quite sure she’d eventually get around to thanking them.

Right after she gave them all detention, of course.

~SMH~

"SIRIUS BLACK!" Molly Weasley's voice shrieked from the kitchen. "Out! STOP LAUGHING AT HIM REMUS!"

Over her yells, Harry Potter and the four youngest Weasleys could hear the gruff, unfamiliar laugh of the old Defense professor. They all stared as the kitchen door swung open, and Remus and Sirius stumbled out, falling over each other. And with one final "AND STAY OUT" the kitchen door slammed shut behind them.

"What did you do?" Ron exclaimed.

"And how'd you do it?" The twins asked.

"We haven't made her shout like that in months," George explained.

"Not even a howler," Fred continued.

"We're losing our touch," they lamented together.

Harry watched as Remus wiped his eyes and settled on the couch opposite them, Sirius collapsing down beside him and sprawling his long legs across three cushions and Remus lap.

Remus gave a resigned sigh and rolled his eyes at Padfoot "For the record, I didn't have any part in that."

"Off the record," Sirius whispered "He gave me the idea."

"I did not!" Remus bristled.

"Suuure you did." Sirus said, twirling his wand between his fingers. "You said: remember in sixth year, Padfoot, when we went over James for Christmas and we charmed his mothers cooking ware to make everything into pudding."

"No," Ginny whispered.

"Oh yes," Sirius grinned "I hope you like potato custard for dinner, it might take Molly a while to sort out."

"It was childish."

"Oh don’t be so old," Sirius admonished Remus. "Arthur!" he called up the stairs.

There was a sudden pop and Arthur appeared, reading glasses askew on his nose and a bemused smile tugging at his lips.

"Whatever it is," Arthur began. "It was very wrong of you Sirius, how could you." and then he glanced at the kitchen "Off the record, I think I heard mention of potato custard and that sounds delightful.”

The teenagers all had trouble stifling their laughter: none wanted Mrs. Weasley's ire.

Harry was still pondering how best to bring up the subject of the snake attack with Arthur , though he needn’t have worried. Fred and George, it seemed, had also been seeking an opportunity where Molly wouldn’t be around to berate them.

"So, Dad,"

"We've been meaning to ask."

"How big was the snake?"

Remus shot them a warning look of his own and Sirius interjected. "Actually I’m curious myself,” and with a lazy flick of his wand, the side table beside the couch had become a plush, maroon and gold armchair. "Come on Arthur: give us the epic of beasts and bravery."

"Well it was hardly brave of me to fall asleep in the corridor, but alas." He took the chair and pulled off his glasses, cleaning then with a handkerchief with painstaking care as the teens present leaned towards him out of their seats.

"Twas as big as two of me," Arthur began. "Couldn’t see well in the dark. Swore it was green or grey. I thought I was done until those two witches appeared.

"You saw them!" Harry exclaimed. "I mean er," He said hastily as the three adults looked at him. "Them as in who saved you."

"Dumbledore's already told us you dreamed you were the snake, Harry," Remus said gently.

Harry flushed. Great, more talking behind his back. "Anyways, you saw them," he insisted.

Arthur nodded. "Yes, They were two witches. Younger. I've thought they were perhaps auror trainees, except their robes were certainly not anything our aurors wear as disguises. Why they stood out like sore thumbs.”

"What kind of robes?" Harry pressed. He hadn’t gotten a decent look and Hermione had already written twice pestering him for research info."

"Well they were short," Mr. Weasley recalled. "Rather like those uniforms muggles send their children to school in. they were white, blue skirts bows," he ticked off on his fingers "white gloves and boots. If I hadnt seen them fight I'd say was quite impractical dueling gear.

"So you saw them fight."

"Yes," he continued. "The blond had two magic swords. Cut the snake's head clear off. Oh!" He looked at Harry "Er, were you in there for that?"

"He hasn’t shut up about it," one of the twins said. "All we've heard is 'im going: ‘Oh woe is me. I'm The-Boy-Who-Was-Nearly-Headless now - all the fun of a beheading and none of the after effects."

"Nearly Headless Harry," Sirius chortled "No, why am I laughing? That's not funny."

"It certainly isn’t." Remus agreed "Anyways, Arthur?"

"Right, well they dispatched the snake quick. And the one with blue hair - yes I'm quite serious, blue, vanished its body." He paused. "Not its head. I have a feeling Voldemort summoned that before they could, anyways, they ran," he continued. "I tried to run but you see I was still in a bit of shock. That's about when the aurors arrived," he nodded to Remus and Sirius. "And we all heard fighting down the hall. Went to see what was going on found the hallway covered in sea water, riddled with arrows, and no sign of the witches or whoever (we assume) attacked them.

"Was there anything else?" Harry asked.

"Did you hear their spells?" Ginny jumped in.

"I did, as a matter of fact." Mr. Weasley said, combing a hand through his remaining hair. "Space Sword Blaster."

"That's a real spell?" Ron blustered. "Blimey, I need a magic sword."

Harry nodded along, absently rubbing his neck.

“Well there’s the curious part, Son,” Mr. Weasley said. “It sounded like no spell I’ve ever heard of in my life – and once more I’m surprised after the fact that they cast it verbally – it’s not something you see most seasoned aurors doing.”

“Verbal casting?” Harry queried.

“It’ll be covered in the 6th year,” Remus said. “But essentially what it sounds like – saying your spells out loud. The opposite’s unvoiced spell work.”

“We have to do that _next_ year!” Ron groaned. “It won’t even matter if I get 9 OWLS, I’ll get trolled out of NEWT.”

“They don’t fail you for not being able to cast non-verbally.” Remus assured him. “Anyways, I’m sorry Arthur, you were saying?”

“Oh, the rescuers, right. Yes, it was like no spell I’ve ever heard. And it’s quite rare to see spells cast with swords these days.” He pondered. “And the other girl was most curious.”

“Why?” Ginny asked.

“Well, she had…a trident.”

“You mean those spears the Merpeople carry around?” Sirius exclaimed. “Blimey, bet you’re bloody well glad they came to _save_ your arse then aren’t you?”

“SIRIUS BLACK!” Molly’s voice hollered from the kitchen. “LANGUAGE!”

And her shout set off the other matriarch on the premises. Wallburga Black’s unforgiving shriek exchoing off the walls.

Sirius groaned. “I bloody hate this house.” And with yet more griping he pushed himself off the sofa and stomped out of the den and up the stairs to the front hall. Mere moments later his own shouting could be heard rivaling his mothers, Sirius tired baritone going to great lengths to out-volume the portrait’s soprano.

“I should go fix that,” Remus said, “If you’ll excuse me.”

And he to disappeared from the room. Arthur shook his head and directed a resigned smile at Harry. “I’m sorry this is your first Christmas with him, Harry. I imagine it’s hardly the best one given the circumstances.”

His first Christmas with Sirius. His head might still feel a bit like it had been cleaved away from his body, and his scar had been a constant pain for two days. He was definitely feeling more of Voldemort’s rage than ever before.

But he was here, in a house that clearly had Sirius written all over it from the picture’s of Lily and James and the Marauders on the mantel to the red and gold apolstered sofa and chairs. And even as Sirius and his mothers shouting made everyone present cover their ears, Harry couldn’t help grinning.

“Are you kidding?” Harry grinned. “This is great!”

~SMH~

It had been December 25th for three hours now. The House Elves had already begun leaving the presents beneath the common room trees. And most of the scouts were asleep, save one. Her fingers were twitching from the amount of coffee she’d had – particularly after charming a mug to refill on command – and it was increasingly hard to keep her eyes focused on the page.

But Ami Mizuno soldiered on, pouring over the dense journal entries imprinted on the parchment, eyes scanning impossibly quickly through the text.

She had found it at 3:12 in the morning. And the first entry immediately caught her eye, the announcement of Endymion’s coming-of-age and the ceremony Rowena had been invited to. Surely that meant more Elysium, and surely that was the place to look to for answers.

Her hand stopped midway down the scroll, and she leaned into the text, squinting in the inadequate candlelight as around her, eight of her friends dozed in their chairs.

_Cyrus says the stones are nothing like Le Fay’s abominations. (They hold the whole soul, he says, not parts). He’s further tried to reassure me by saying it would only keep his soul in the event of his death in order that he might continue serving Endymion. I want to be proud that he’s picked up such a streak of loyalty – he’s somehow so much more like Helga than he is like me. And I even want to agree with Godric that they’re brave._

_But I’ve told him, if the Prince were ever to die (and he will – my Sight is quite certain) he’d essentially be subjecting himself to an indefinite number of years as a ghost trapped in a stone. Or worse – as the servant of some darkly inclined wizard. Alas he’s quite adamant that the Nephrite stone be available to Endymion in the event that he needs its power. I’ve been considering alternatives for hours. One that I’m partial to…_

Ami read the following paragraphs with fresh excitement as she began to scribble furiously.

_I have it!_

~SMH~

"Cyrus Ravenclaw," Ami said "second child of Rowena, we know him as,"

"Nephrite," Makoto finished, observing as Ami transfigured an unused quill into an accurate figurine of the knight.

"Yes," she waved her wand again. A second quill took on the appearance of a man with long platinum blond hair. "Olin Hufflepuff, Sir Kunzite," a third quill became "Osric Gryffindor, Jadeite." and a fourth "Saverio Slytherin - Zoicite."

"So they were all wizards," Michiru concluded.

"And Endymion went to school with them - this one has lots on him Usagi," she said, handing her one particular scroll. "Ravenclaw made detailed notes of all the first years." she smiled "Endymion was a Hufflepuff."

"Does that mean he's one now." Usagi said eagerly.

"Uncertain...Setsuna?" Ami asked.

Setsuna frowned. "It depends. He might embody specific Hufflepuff qualities, but I suspect upbringing has as much to do will the sorting as it does anything."

"Awww," Usagi pouted "So he could still be anyone?"

"It wont matter,” Ami assured her. “We can still find him with the Shittenou – I’m honestly ashamed I didn’t think of them before. Princess Serenity needed all four of us together to achieve her full powers the first time,” she explained to the outer senshi. “And if we could awaken the Shittenou, we wouldn’t even need to find Mamoru.

“He’d remember on his own,” Setsuna concluded. “Brilliant…but you are suggesting awakening four people where we are still struggling to find one.”

“I belive they’ll be easy to find though. Ravenclaw’s already explained what happened.” And with a wave of her wand the knights had shrunk into replicas of their stones. “The stones contained their souls after death. And so long as Endymion was alive they were meant to remain with him as counsel.

“But..." she waved her wand and the stones changed: into a sword, a tiara, and the remaining two back to plain feathers. "Ravenclaw wanted them to return to their families if Endymion, well, died."

They all shot a sympathetic look at Usagi.

"So she enchanted the stones to return to the family treasures upon Endymion’s death. And I suppose, when Galaxia killed him, they returned to those items." Ami said. "It’s even likely that Mamoru wound up here because his soul sought theirs out. Now, Ravenclaw’s already mentioned Gryffindor's sword, her own Diadem, which leaves,"

"Something of Slytherin and Hufflepuff’s," Michiru concluded. "That's not a promising start."

"It's better than we had before," Makoto countered. "Besides: it's gotta be easier looking for swords and tiaras than people At least those don’t change."

"We also still have tons of these to sort out," Ami said, gesturing to the many scrolls still stored on their shelves. "She may yet mention something to point us to the other two Shittennou."

"But this was all a thousand years ago," Rei pondered. "Things go missing."

“We can ask around,” Minako decided. “The Gryffindors have got to know something about a magic sword. And I bet Hufflepuff could tell stories.

“We won’t get anywhere with Slytherin,” Haruka shrugged.

“Oh Slytherin will talk.” Michiru said. “You just have to know how to get them started.

“Well we’ll leave that to you.” Setsuna said. She closed her eyes and frowned. “Unfortunately they’re hard to see. The next time I visit the time dimension, I’ll give them another look.”

“You alright Usako?” Haruka said to the blond who’s head was turned down towards the floor. She tapped the younger girl on the top of her head and she looked up.

“I’m fine,” she sniffed. Her eyes were a little watery. “Just…thank you, Ami.” And she launched forwards, hugging Ami tightly. “Thank you, all of you.” She grinned. “I know we’ll find them if we work together.

~SMH~

It was exactly 11 on January first when Remus apparated into Grimmauld Place with Hermione. They’d no sooner appeared than she was rushing out of the entry way and up the stairs towards the boys room. Ron and Harry heard her feet coming up the steps just in time for Ron, who’d been sleeping in his pants, to scramble into a set of pajama bottoms.

“I found it!” Hermione exclaimed breathlessly as she barged into their room.

“Hang on I don’t have a shirt on yet!” Ron shouted from where he’d ducked behind is bed.

“Oh!” Hermione shrugged, and turned immediately to Harry who was already dressed for the day, taking out her bag and rummaging through it. “Well put one on quickly Ron, you’ll want to see this. And where’s Ginny?”

“Here!” Ginny said as she too burst through the door.

“ _I still don’t have a shirt on_ ,”

“Oh don’t be such a prude, Ron,” Ginny fired back. “Nothing I haven’t seen before.” And in a false whisper she informed Hermione and Harry. “Let’s just leave it at Ronnikins used to hate bath time.”

“ _Ginny!”_ Ron finally popped up from behind his bed in a rumpled cannons tee shirt and trousers with quaffles zooming across the fabric. He scowled briefly at his sister before turning to Hermione. “Anyways what did you – Gah!” He jumped as twin pops signalled the arrival of Fred and George into the room.

“Heard the excitement,” one said.

“Were you really gonna,”

“Talk about the exchange kids,”

“Without us?” They finished together.

“Oh fine, sit down.” Hermione said and waited impatiently as Fred and George found their seats, sprawling out across Ron’s small camp bed. “As I was saying. I went to the library yesterday. There’s more in muggle books and news about wizards than you’d think – its fascinating once you know what your looking for.”

“But you didn’t know what you were looking for.”

“Well I had an idea – see it’s quite common in Japan for elements of their magical world to find their way into the popular books and mangas, so I went looking through the shelves – and you wouldn’t believe it!” She pulled a muggle manga issue out of her bag and showed the cover. Harry, the closest, couldn’t belive his eyes.

“That’s Minako!” he said, though certainly not Minako as they’d ever seen her. Instead of black school robes or bright Gryffindor team colors, their fellow fifth year sported an outfit similar to those he’d seen on Haruka and Michiru when they’d attacked Nagini, though it looked different than those Haruka and Michiru had worn. The navy skirt was a little longer, the top was a loose shirt rather than a leotard, and instead of plain white there were stripes of red along Minako’s sides, matching the bow on her chest. The blue sailor collar was the same, and her gloves the same white, though they ended at the elbow in a mismatched orange color. And her shoes were different than Haruka and Michiru’s – blue heels where they had had white boots.

But it was undeniably similar, a uniform of some sort.

“Sailor V?” Ginny pondered, taking the book and flipping through it. “Is she some sort of Auror?”

“Muggles would call her a Super hero – think of the children’s stories they used to make up about Harry.”

“Still do – sorry mate,” Ron said “But The-Boy-Who-Lived still sells like mad.”

“Don’t care,” Harry shrugged. “So she what, modelled for the book?”

“That’s what I thought at first but look, see –” And Hermione flipped to the first page, where just under the publishing information was a notation.

_These events are based on real crime-solving experiences, and informed by an Interpol Officer Katerina Mita, who was a personal associate of V._

“Blimey,” Ron murmured as he took the book from Ginny and flipped through it, with the twins leaning over his shoulders. “She really did all of this,”

“I looked through newspapers from the time too – there’s even an obituary from a few years back claiming she died in an explosion,” Hermione said in a rush. “And I checked the library computers too – there’s loads of accounts about her, but V disappears – she seems to be going by Sailor Venus instead.”  
“Still a weird name – woah!” Ron turned the book around, showing a page with Minako wielding a bright orange whip at an on-coming monster. “No wonder she beat me in the duel.”

“No wonder she beat all of us – her patronus was orange too,” Harry recalled, furrowing his brows as his scar began to burn. Could Voldemort see what was going on in this room. Harry tried very hard not to think of the exchange students just in case. He covered his scar with one hand. “Do you think they’re all…Sailors?”

“I’d guess so,” Hermione said. “Maybe they take the names from Roman mythology or something…I’ve been looking but it’s so hard to find anything on them. It seems like Venus gets extra attention because she’s famous. But I did searches of other old deities. I couldn’t find any Sailor Heras or Artemises.” She tapped her chin. “I just can’t think of what else…”

“Wonder why they’re here,” Ron said. “D’you think they’re meant to be fighting Voldemort since, you know, the ministry won’t?”

“Betcha Dumbledore hired them,” Fred declared.

Harry nodded along, gritting his teeth. The pain in his scar was overwhelming him. He closed his eyes, aware of Hermione calling out his name. He ignored her though, and followed Voldemort’s anger instead. Perhaps, in his rage, he’d give Harry even greater access to his thoughts.

_“What do you mean there’s nothing on file!” his voice thundered through the dark, manor room. The two servants before him quaked. Imbeciles. “Their ministry has no records!”_

_“J-just of a Setsuna Meioh, My lord,” Goyle stammered. “Of when she submitted the request for transfer. They’ve got her down in the Japanese records as a magical being, Class 1*.”_

_“Which is?”_

_“Erm…not a Witch exactly,” Goyle scratched his head. “Honestly the education department has never seen it before. We have catagories for most other things, sure, but we’ve never seen this particular listin –_

_“Silence!” he hissed, tapping his fingers against the skull of his felled snake. How was it there was no information on students who could do this? “I want names. And if there’s no explanation you’re going to get me one! Wormtail!” he shouted._

_The snivelling rat scrambled up to his seat and bowed until his head was pressed into the floor. Pathetic man. “You’re not needed at the ministry. Make yourself useful. I want everything you can find on them.”_

_“In…in Japan, My Lord.”_

_“Yes!” he glared, “Don’t come back until you find something.”_

_“Y-yes sir.”_

_“Harry!”_

Harry jumped. Hermione had a hand on his shoulder and was shaking him, Ginny, Ron, and the twins all huddled close.

“Was it Voldemort?” Ginny whispered.

“Yeah,” Harry said, trying to rub the searing pain out of his scar. “He’s looking for the transfer students too.”

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good_ ~

 


	10. The Sacking of Sybil

**The Sacking of Sybil**

Setsuna Meioh turned a few heads at Kings Cross on January 6th, despite her best efforts to stay out of the way of the crowds. A few of her students waved, but most frowned and whispered to their friends: whatever was their professor doing on the platform?

Soon enough though, the students she was here to see made their way out of the crowd. The nine Muggle Studies seventh years who had opted for their extra-curricular week of vacation gathered around her rather than board the Express. Stebbins and Fawcett were the first pair. Fawcett was blushing furiously and Stebbins was grinning, carrying his own bag _and_ Fawcett’s over-stuffed pack with his bigger, Quidditch trained, arms. Fawcett, himself had his arms laden down with six books – hinting at the reason his bag might have been heavy.

The others made their way down the platform in short order. Fred and George made a grand show of shouting their goodbyes to Jordan and Angelina, promising both of them souvenirs beyond their magical dreams.

“Just get me the damn tee-shirt, Weasley,” Angelina huffed.

“Anything for you, Captain.” They replied in tandem.

“Ready to go, Professor,” George said cheerfully. Setsuna scanned the platform, now a bustle of families trying to squeeze onto the train at the last minute.

“Not quite yet.” Their ninth member should be arriving soon. She glanced towards the express. Yes, just as she’d seen.

Morgana Avery waited until the whistle for the train was blowing (and at which point her mother apparated away) before jumping off the last door on the train and jogging over to Setsuna and the others. She looked over her shoulder once, but none of the parents were looking at the back of the train.

“Just in time, Miss. Avery,” Setsuna said. The girl had only a purse with her. “Though you should know you won’t be able to un-shrink anything in that bag.”

“I know,” Morgana said. “I’m going to buy my clothes there…I can do that right?”

“It should be quite easy. Did you already exchange your currency?”

“Uh, Duh. I got it by post before Christmas.” Avery rolled her eyes. “Are we going or not?”

Setsuna smirked and conjured the Garnet Rod, banging it once against the tile floor. Her students gasped as the Time Doors materialized behind her.

“ _This_ is ‘like’ a time turner?” Fawcett muttered. “Unbelievable.”

“Stay close,” she advised as she guided them into the fog-covered time dimension. She forsaw no danger, but if Chibiusa was any measure to go by, that didn’t mean that danger could not be found. She let the doors close, and tapped the rod against the floor again.

It took more concentration without being transformed, but a bit of magical theory research had led her to an appropriate spell to do the task. The fog whipped around them, causing the students to shuffled closer together.

When the wind faded, she checked her students, Morgana scrambled back from the Weasley twins whom she’d been huddled close to, and the other students glanced around the time dimension with boundless curiosity.

She pointed the Garnet Rod at the great doors and they opened, revealing snow-capped mountains beyond a row of modest wooden cabins.

“There is a map inside yours,” She told Stebbins and Fawcett, tossing them a brass key. “And if you run into trouble…” she handed them a coin quite similar to the D.A.’s. That Hermione did have quite brilliant ideas. “Just ask for me.”

The two nodded and she waited until they were a few paces away from the doors before closing them and letting the Time Doors move again. This time, her students were prepared. Timothy Abbott even reached out his hand to touch the fog.

“It feels like sand,” he murmured.

“As it should,” she said over the whirling wind. “Try not to get it in your mouth, please.”

Their next stop, the doors opened onto balmy summer weather and a beach with pristine white sand. And four more of her students raced out the doors, Abbott barely remembering their contact coin.

And then there were three: the twins and Morgana Avery – all keeping a wary distance from each other. She could see that changing quite a bit if their weeklong excursion went as she foresaw. “And as for you,” she said to Fred and George. “You’re not going to abuse this freedom are you?”

“No Professor,” the two chorused, saluting.

“Good,” she said, tossing the coin to Morgana. “Avery you’ll be in charge of reporting whether they step out of line.”

“Hey,”

“Of course,” Avery grinned.

“That is not for every little thing.” She cautioned with a barely-there smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You can have some fun.”

And once again the wind died down and the doors swung open onto a bustling train station. The students gaped at the tall skyscrapers visible through the glass windows.

“Oh, one more thing.” She said as they scrambled towards the exit. She made especially sure she had the twins attention. “This is a big city. There are police, and laws, which you have read up on, I am sure?” Three nods. “If you break those laws, you will end up in muggle jail,” she said. “And I will leave you there.”

Fred Weasley gulped. “Y-yes Professor.”

She nodded. “Good. Then I’ll see you back here in a week.” And she chuckled as they all nodded, tripping over themselves to get out into linear time, George shuffling around in his backpack for a map.

She closed the doors. They’d end up late checking into their hotel and at least one group would have some trouble with a microwave this week.

But her Sight over the muggle world was as clear as ever, and she could see it would be a positive experience for all of them.

Now to her own work…

She let the doors close and the wind pick up, lifting her henshin wand.

“Pluto Eternal Make-Up!”

The sands of time transformed her wix robes into her sailor fuku in a fraction of a second and she watched as the Rowan Wand merged into her Garnet Rod.

 _Now then…_ She’d been meaning to get to it since Christmas, to sort through all the possibilities before them. It was tricky to see Wix spaces still, but since they’d brewed their potion, she was no longer completely blinded to the future. She stretched her awareness out towards the possible futures. Which was the best avenue to search?

Her thoughts went immediately to the Shittenou, but she could not see which artifacts their souls would be encased in, only the times they would find the four knights.

 _Jadeite_ was clearer than the rest. They’d have the opportunity to revive him very soon.

 _But there’s a few things in the way first…_ she concentrated. _A few plausible ways we might put ourselves in Jadeite’s path_ … _or one where I could just..._

Yes, that one might be best. It would lead to the quickest possibility of revival. And Jadeite might be a useful source of information about his friends. They could get him before the end of term for certain, there was one particular scenario that could get him back to them as early as May. Setsuna smirked, it would even require antagonizing Dolores.

_Delightful._

The rest of the Shittenou though, were blurred. Too many options still presented themselves.

But one thing stood out in the sandstorm of possibility with explicit clarity: wrapped up in the shifting sand patterns that held the mysteries surrounding Mamoru and the Shittenou, a war loomed close; an inevitable part of the Wix near-future. And the longer they sought Mamoru, it also appeared inevitable that they would play a role in that war as well.

 _Minerva won’t enjoy learning this at all,_ Setsuna thought as she gazed forwards.

~ _SMH_ ~

Dumbledore had just declared that they all tuck in when the doors of the Great Hall swung open to the tune of boisterous singing.

“OH BROTHER,

“YOU’VE GOT ME

“ME, I GOT YOU, YOU!”

“Oh bloody hell,” Ron muttered.

The twins burst into the hall with great swinging steps as their seven classmates trailed behind them: Stebbins and Fawcett were laughing, mimicking the twins steps as they marched arm in arm. Even _Avery_ , her face an impassive mask, had a spring in her step.

“YOUR LIFELONG MEMBERSHIP IS FREE

“KEEP AGIVIN’ EACH BROTHER ALL YOU CAN”

They spun round and round down the center aisle of the hall as their classmates laughed along. _Avery_ was humming the tune, Susan Bones marvelled to Makoto.

“OH AREN’T YOU PROUD TO BE

“IN THAT FRATERNITY,

“THE GREAT BIG BROTHERHOOD OF MAAAAAAAAAAN”

And they somersaulted from the end of the house tables to the edge of the staff table’s dais, jumping to their feet and spreading their arms wide as they bowed to Dumbledore.

The Headmaster clapped, eyes twinkling as the faculty around him chuckled and Minerva Mcgonagall spectacularly failed to glare at the two clowns.

And Dolores Umbridge, the students giggled as they clapped at the twins, was sporting a face more purple than the Headmaster’s hat!

At the back of the gaggle of seventh years, Setsuna Meioh briefly enjoyed Umbridge’s livid face before scanning her eyes over the rest of the faculty. Hooch was laughing into her glass of wine, Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling, and Minerva gave her a nod, beckoning her up to the dais.

“Well done, I say.” Flitwick murmured to her as she sat down between he and Madam Hooch. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen nine seventh years happier to be back at school”

“Avery was singing along with them on the way in if you can believe it,” she said.

“Surely not,” Severus muttered from a few places down the table.

She simply grinned and raised her wine glass. “I think you’ll find the week’s been enlightening for all of them.”

At the tables, the twins were still singing, this time about a book that guaranteed them success. Timothy Abbott was giving a detailed breakdown of the marvellous invention called the Roller Coaster, and Stebbins and Fawcett had sat together at the Ravenclaw table, Fawcett giving a spirited account of every spectacular wipe out Stebbins had managed on skis.

“And I suppose the trip’s given them more pranking material as well?” Severus complained. “Muggle pranks on top of their magical buffoonery.”

“They may have,” Setsuna smirked.

She wasn’t going to mention the assortment of shopping bags the twins had been carrying between them when she’d arrived to pick them up. She was sure whatever had been inside would find itself a burr in Umbridge’s side soon enough.

Which was, if her murky vision was correct, not going to bother the future in the slightest.

“And what about Christmas at Hogwarts?” The twins finally asked of the transfer students once the need to eat made singing relatively difficult. “Spect you spend it with an Educational Decree against all things jolly.”

“Actually Umbridge wasn’t here,” Minako grinned. “But yeah. We did have fun. Couple of us played hockey with some of the muggleborns who stayed. Davies even tried – managed to fall _into_ the net too.”

“Hockey’s the one on skates right?” Ron asked. “How’d you even play that without falling on your arse.”

“The same way you balance on a broom,” Hermione retorted.

“Not the same way,” Usagi said. “The broom is way easier.”

“You just say that cause you needed Makoto _and_ Haruka to hold you up,” Rei teased, then ducked the spoonful of potatoes aimed Usagi flung at her with a spoon. They hit Ginny instead, who launched a tickling jinx back at them in short order. Soon enough, all the Gryffindors were in stitches, jinxes and food being lobbed back and forth across the table. And then everyone was desperately trying to straighten themselves out as Mcgonagall stood from the staff table and walked swiftly down the aisle.

“Oh shit, shit, no more food throwing!” Mina said as she shoved the rolls away from their group and put on her best innocent look.

“Tsukino, Weasley,” Mcgonagall announced as she stopped behind them. “Catching up.”

“Y-yes professor.”

“I must say it’s most unusual for so many fifth years to wear their food.” She said with a stern look. “Aino, why is your wand out?”

 _Crap,_ she’d left the blackthorn wand on the table in her haste, aimed at Ron in retaliation for his color changing charm. She covered her now blue bow with her hand and grinned sheepishly at the professor. “J-just cleaning up a spill”

“Hmm,” The professor said, taking in the remnants of the food fight. “It is against the rules to use magic out of class, as it is to play with one’s food. To say nothing of proper behaviour.”

“We-we’re being perfectly good professor,” Mina said. “Please… Don’t give me detention… I have to meet Flitwick tomorrow.”

Mcgonagall sighed. “Five points from all of you.”

“YES!” Mina said, “I-I mean sorry!” And as Mcgonagall walked away, shaking her head, Mina slumped down in her seat chuckling. “Thank God that wasn’t detention.”

“Why’s that?” Harry asked.

And Minako grinned. “Cause I’ve got a duelling lesson tomorrow.”

Indeed, Tuesday the seventh, Minako begged off pick-up Quidditch and made her way to the charms classroom straight after dinner, waiting impatiently outside for Flitwick to arrive.

“Good Evening Miss. Aino,” he greeted her at last as he made his way surprisingly quickly up the stairs. The classroom doors clicked as he approached and she rushed to throw them open, giddy at the sight of the Dueling platform already set up, and at Flitwick who was rolling up the sleeves of his robe.

“What’s first?” She said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her voice echoed in the otherwise empty room.

“Put your wand down, you’re not practicing just yet,” Flitwick chuckled. “First: your stance.” Mina was way ahead of him, standing at the ready to attack or defend. Flitwick nodded. “Is already quite good for a beginner. Second,” he raised his wand. “You’ve shown an aptitude for chaining spells, now we need to do two things – teach you to do it consistently and to introduce you to several, effective, spell pairings.” He snapped his fingers and a duelling dummie rose up through the floor of the platform. He raised his wand towards it. “Observe,”  
And she grinned as he began, pronouncing his spells for her benefit. She tightened her hold on the blackthorn wand as the dummie exploded in a shower of purple sparks. It was dispensed with in barely a second, and a replacement rose up to take its place for the next hit, which Flitwick preformed with not two, but _four_ minor spells, combining their effects together. She was already imagining how many spells she might bind into the links of the Love Whip.

_No Wizard or Youma’s gonna stand a chance._

~ _SMH~_

As Minako was learning the basics of the duelist’s art, another exchange student was seeking out another professor.

Minerva frowned as the soft knock echoed from her office door. Was that Davies again? The boy had been an absolute mess lately about his approaching NEWTs. “Enter,” she said.

But rather than studious Ravenclaw at all, it was an entirely more intriguing seventh year who slipped through her office door.

“Good Evening Professor,”

“Miss Kaioh,” she said, glancing down at the last of the essays she had to grade before Wednesday’s classes. “Have a seat.”

“Thank you,” she said, smiling warmly as she took the empty chair across from Minerva she folded her hands in her lap and sat up with perfect posture in the chair, maintaining the genial smile. “I apologize if this is an inconvenient time. I realize you must be very busy. But I’d very much appreciate your advice.”

Minerva frowned at her over the top of her reading glasses. Miss Kaioh was being entirely too courteous. And she wasn’t daft; she recognized Slytherin smooth talking when she heard it.

“Of course I have some time for any questions. Though I’m quite curious what you might be worried about. The term’s barely started.”

“Well I guess after todays lesson I had something I needed to ask.”

Ah, the beginning of the animal-to-human unit. The last module in the NEWT course. “I don’t know what you’d need to ask – you earned top marks today for your work. I don’t forsee you having any problems with the NEWT.”

“Thank you, but I wasn’t here about the NEWT. In fact I was looking over the syllabus. And I noticed there’s quite a bit of advance transfiguration that we won’t be covering in class.”

“It is an incredibly diverse subject. It’s many facets would require years of additional study.”

“And what about the animagus transformation.” Michiru asked, leaning forwards in her chair.

Ah, that’s what had her coming in. She’d demonstrated her own transformation at the beginning of the class as some additional motivation. Every year there was always one student. “It’s encouraging to see that you’re enthusiastic about it,” Minerva told her, putting a final grade on the essay and moving it to the completed pile. “Unfortunately, I can’t in good conscience take you on as a private student.”

“Why ever not,” Michiru frowned.

“A number of reasons: chief among them that the animagus transformation is highly volatile magic. It can go horribly wrong for the candidate at any stage of the process. It requires a lot of work and familiarity with transfiguration – It certainly isn’t something I’d recommend starting as an NEWT student.”

“But I am the best in my class – and the exam doesn’t matter to me. I’d have plenty of time to focus on it. And you know my work – I’m very careful”

But Mcgonagall shook her head again. “Despite your prowess, you’ve barely been practicing magic for half a year. No,” she shook her head. “I’m sorry Ms. Kaioh.”

“I have much more than one year’s magical experience – as I’m sure Setsuna can tell you,” Michiru continued. “And I know NEWT students have attempted it in the past – you did.”

Minerva blinked “And how exactly did you come by that information?”

“Setsuna asked Professor Hooch,” Michiru said. “Please Professor.”

Minerva shook her head again, returning her gaze to the essay on her desk. “Regardless of your dedication or your classwork, I simply am not convinced you’ve enough experience with magic – our magic – to be attempting the feat now.”

Michiru sighed. She crossed her arms over her chest and relaxed against the arm of her chair, casually tapping her wand against her arm.

Minerva expected more arguments from the stubborn Slytherin, but not the smirk that crossed Michiru’s face instead. “We spoke about trustworthiness before the Holiday,” she murmured. “And I know you probably still have many questions about us all. If you could teach me the animagus transformation, I might trust you enough to them.”

Minerva set down her quill and stared at Michiru, drumming her fingers across the desk. “Are you trying to bribe me, Ms. Kaioh?”

“One question for one animagus lesson,” she continued without denying it.

Minerva stared at the confident Slytherin and drummed her fingers again, before retracting them into a fist.

“This isn’t the question,” she prefaced. One always had to be very clear with Slytherins.

“Of course,” Michiru nodded.

 _Whatever am I doing?_ Minerva wondered as she asked. “Why do you want to attempt the Animagus transformation?”

“Honest answer: It would be an invaluable ability for reconnaissance.”

“And _who_ do you expect you’ll be spying on.”

“Your Voldemort for one,” Michiru said with a nod of her head.

Minerva’s eyebrows rose above the brim of her hat. Of course, Miss. Kaioh came from an entirely different background, but it was the first time she’d ever seen a Slytherin profess that particular stance.

And then Michiru chuckled and added, as though she’d just thought of it. “And Haruka’s reaction would be priceless.”

She stared at Michiru for a while longer before saying. “One question at the beginning of every lesson. If I don’t like the answer, or I think you’re lying, I’ll offer you no more help. And we’ll be discontinuing these lessons if I see you’re struggling with the process. You’re not to attempt it on your own.”

Michiru grinned. “That sounds amenable.” And she sat up straighter in her chair. “Your first question.”

 _I am being successfully manipulated by a student,_ Minerva thought with distaste. _Damn it though,_ _I have too many questions_. She settled for one that felt relatively safe, and was certainly a burning curiosity. “How is it that you, Setsuna, and Miss Tenoh came to be parents to Miss Tomoe?”

Michiru laughed. “I thought you might ask that.” She said, twirling her wand. “There was a time when her father was unable to care for her and so the three of us looked after her during that time. And we all grew quite attached to each other. Recently it became necessary for her to live with us again.” She chuckled. “I feel bad for her father, he certainly wasn’t pleased about her being at a boarding school.”

 _Vague_. Was her first thought, but it at least gave her a starting point. She supposed if she wanted actual answers she’d have to craft more specific questions.  
But at least Michiru seemed willing to answer. She nodded to the Slytherin. “Alright then.”

“So the Animagus – will I turn into a cat?”

“Impossible to know,” Minerva said and waved her wand, sending a set of well-used tomes flying off the top shelf and down onto her desk.

“I can’t pick?” Michiru frowned, leaning towards the books.

“Heavens no,” Minerva rolled her eyes as she opened the first tome, Michiru scanning the page with an intensity that could rival even Hermione Granger at her most curious. “Now that said: I have never met an animagus who was unhappy with the form they ended up assuming.” She turned the book towards the Slytherin. “This will be your homework to start with. It details the process of finding the creature you’ll be shifting into.”

“The whole book,” Michiru deadpanned as she looked at the 500 or so pages.

“The whole thing.” Minerva confirmed. “There are several different methods of discovery.”

“What’s the fastest?” Michiru asked, flipping through the pages.

“None of them,” Minerva smirked. “There’ll be no short-cuts or side-steps to this process. Some find their form in a week, others it can take years.”

Michiru sighed. “Very well,” and she made to shrink the books and put them in her bag.

“Not so fast,” Minerva said. “There’s the matter of safety concerns.”

And with that she flicked her wand again and a scroll shot out of its place in her desk drawer. It hovered in the air and unfurled, and Minerva took great satisfaction from the stunned look Michiru gave to the parchment which hovered about seven feet in the air and had unrolled onto the floor, the end coming to a stop just a few paces from her office door.

“There are, on the record, 467 mild to severe complications that can be triggered by various stages of the animagus process. And innumerable side-effects produced by a myriad of individuals’ missteps.”

~ _SMH_ ~

“Sup, Harry?” Minako announced as she turned down the corridor towards Gryffindor tower. Harry looked up from the floor he’d been staring at as he shuffled back from the dungeons.

“Huh?” he grunted.

“Wow _someone’s_ just got out of a detention.” She said as she fell into step with him. “I didn’t think you had Umbridge tonight.”

“Wasn’t Umbridge,” Harry grumbled. “Was Snape?”

“You got a detention with the git on the first day back?” Minako frowned. “But…we didn’t have potions today.”

“Wasn’t detention,” Harry sighed, rubbing his temple. “Sorry, have a headache.”

Mina frowned, turning so she could walk backwards and look at him properly. “It’s not your scar is it?”

“I wish,” Harry said. “No, wait I don’t wish…ugh.” He shrugged. “Yeah, I had remedial Potions with Snape tonight.”

Minako frowned. “You get Remedial potions and I don’t. Gosh I suck more than you! Think by now Seamus and I are in a contest to see who can destroy more cauldrons. I know he’s got years on me by I might be winning.”

Harry chuckled. “Er, I mean I guess it was Dumbledore’s idea.”

Minako narrowed her eyes. “But you’re not that _bad_ at potions.”

Harry kept his eyes towards the floor and shrugged. “You haven’t seen my grades.”

“Course I did. You had an A on your mid-term marks. Course, Rei recons it should be an E cause you do at least as well as she does.”

“Well I have remedial potions alright,” he said. “I don’t understand it either.”

Minako narrowed her eyes. “Is this a Voldemort thing?”

“What?”

“Oh come on! You don’t get a title like the Boy-who-lived and not have it be a Voldemort thing.” Minako gasped. “It has to do with your visions doesn’t it! Dumbledore _did_ look concerned you could see into Voldemort’s head.

“ _Quiet_!” Harry said, grabbing her arm and dragging her into the classroom nearby.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “Gosh Potter, all alone in an empty classroom.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Better watch out for Rei she get’s fiery when she’s jealous.”

“I-I,” She laughed as Harry scrambled back several paces from her. “I’m not trying anything. I just didn’t want you asking so many questions in the hall.” He said.

“There wasn’t anyone around.”

“It’s a secret.” Harry said. “and no, it isn’t remedial potions. But Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone.”

“How’s he gonna know.” She said. “Come on – if it’s a Voldemort thing then I say, as a fellow D.A. member, I should know. Don’t you want us to be prepared for fighting him.”

Harry considered.

“If you’re getting extra help we should too.” She persisted. “It’s really irrational for Dumbledore to make you keep useful stuff from your fellow students.”

Harry snorted. “Dumbledore doesn’t want me talking about a lot of things.”

“That’s weird.”

“It…he has his reasons.” Harry said.

“M’kay.” Minako said, casting a muffling charm on the closed doors and crossing her arms as she leaned back against them. “So, Remedial Potions is code for...”

Harry sighed. “Occlumency Lessons.”

“Occlu-what?”

He snorted. “It’s this magic to keep Voldemort out of my head. Dumbledore things that if I can feel his emotions and…see what he sees…then he might be able to see back.”

He looked at Minako expecting her to look afraid, or even disgusted by the prospect of him having a dark wizard in his head. But she was considering him seriously, as though it were just an ordinary problem to solve.”

“That means he could be spying on D.A. meetings too.” She realized. “And…oh gosh you spent Christmas with the Weasleys didn’t you. Could he know where they are.”

Harry felt his gut twist at the prospect. “I hope not. I mean,” He sighed. “Dumbledore thinks he may not be aware that he can do it yet. But he does think me continuing to see into Voldemort’s head is distracting.”

“I bet,” Minako said. “Could he make you see things too…if he was in your head I mean, could he send you visions.”  
Harry swallowed hard. Shivering at the thought. “I guess…I dunno.”

“Well…you looked pretty bummed in the hallway. I take it the Occluwhatsis didn’t go well.”

He shook his head. “Snape’s the only one who can teach me?”

“That sucks!”

“He seems to just… I dunno. Either he doesn’t think I can do it or he feels like I should just get it right away.”

“What are you supposed to do.”

“Beats me.” Harry said. “Tonight he just kept using Legimens – that’s were he reads my mind – and insisting I just try to throw him out.”

“That’s absurd!” Mina blurted out. “Don’t you need like…a technique or something?”

“How should I know!” He shouted and sighed. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright,”

“I just…I want to have more control of these visions. And I don’t…I’m really worried even if Voldemort was reading my mind it wouldn’t be like with Snape. What if I never knew he was there I’d never know to throw him out.”

Minako hummed, looking briefly at the floor as she thought. Then she looked up at him, mouth a determined line, and nodded towards the door as she turned to open it. “Come on.”

“Where?”

“The tower of course,” she said. “I have an idea. I dunno if it will help you with the Occlumosis but it will definitely help you manage the visions and _maybe_ be able to sense Voldemort.”

“What is it?”

“I’ll let Rei explain.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Mina’s idea ended up being meditation in front of the common room fire. A practice that Ron deemed “mental” and Rei declared “a reach at best.” But they tried anyways. And so Harry spent the rest of his free time in the evenings that week in front of the fire as Rei talked him through the process of meditating, and of using the fire to help him concentrate on his thoughts and visions. He felt bad for falling asleep the first few times, but compared to his occulmency lesson with Snape, he at least conceded it _was_ improving his concentration.

“What do you use this for?” He asked her on Wednesday. “Divination?”

Rei shrugged. “In a way, sometimes it just helps me think things through.”

He still couldn’t sense Voldemort in his head, a fact Ginny reminded him should be encouraging, but it was also a quiet week on the Dark Lord’s end as well. Harry did not feel anything else from him all week, nor did he dream of anything, but that same damn corridor. He wondered if he would see when Pettigrew returned, already anxious what the rat would find out about his fellow students.

The quiet didn’t last though. Late the next monday Harry awoke suddenly, paralyzed for a few minutes, hands clutched to his head as his scar burned. He trembled, not with rage, but with excitement.

Something had just made Voldemort very, very, happy.

He rushed to the common room. “Move,” he ordered the gaggle of third years roasting marshmellows in the fireplace. He skidded to a halt just short of the hearth and settled into the pose Rei had showed him, hands moving as hers did as he gazed into the fire’s depths. As he watched the tongues of flame shift from red, to orange, to yellow, he focused on Voldemort’s glee.

And whether by his will or sheer coincidence, Voldemort’s voice did reach his ears over he crackle of the flames.

_“At last, my most loyal servant,”_

And at once Harry could see past the flames, through another set of eyes.

_His hand reached out to caress the sallow cheek of a woman whose grin revealed many rotted teeth and whose eyes shone too bright. She giggled and bowed low, untamed hair cascading around her face._

_“I am at your service Milord,” she said._

_He looked away from the woman and out at the other death eaters kneeling in their masks before his chair. “You would all do well to learn from Bellatrix example.” He said. “It is her dedication that shall get the ministry back into our hands.”_

“Harry!”

Harry gasped as he was thrown out of the vision, noticing the burnt skin on his knuckles. He’d practically been _in_ the fire.

“Harry?”

He turned. The commotion he’d caused had brought Minako and Rei down to the common room, Hermione and Usagi coming down the stairs behind them. They stood with his dorm mates, and a significant number of others Gryffindors all crowded around the dorm stairs.

His eyes found Neville’s before the others.

“There’s been an escape,” he said. “From Azkaban.”

Neville visibly stiffened. “ _Not her,”_

“Who?” one of the younger students asked.

The Weasley twins, Ron, and a few other older students traded unsettled glances. Many appeared as unsettled as they were by the mention of Voldemort himself.

Sirius has told him stories about Bellatrix Lestrange – none of them good.

~ _SMH_ ~

When they came down for breakfast they were greeted by whispers that all the Gryffindors had circulated around the houses, and to students standing on tip toes to meet the owls bringing them the _Daily Prophet_ all who knew, anxious for news, and all who didn’t, finding it soon enough.

**MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN**

_The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban._

_Speaking to reporters in_ [ _his private office_ ](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Minister_for_Magic%27s_office) _, Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening, and that he has already informed the_ [ _Muggle Prime Minister_ ](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Prime_Minister) _of the dangerous nature of these individuals._

_“We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were_ [ _two and a half years ago_ ](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/1993) _when the murderer Sirius Black escaped," said Fudge last night. "Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals and beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached.”_

To make matters worse, the news of the second breakout in Azkaban’s history was accompanied by a new Educational Decree, introduced at the end of Breakfast on Tuesday morning with the much hated “ _hem hem.”_

“Educational Decree number twenty-six” Umbridge’s overly sweet voice echoed over the restless student body. “Teachers are hereby banned from giving students any information that is not strictly related to the subjects they are paid to teach.”

And she returned to her seat at the staff table amid frantic whispers from the students and the miserly looks of her fellow professors.

~ _SMH~_

“What purpose does it serve!” Setsuna thundered that night to her friends among the faculty. They had gathered again for one of their regular night-caps, this time congregating in Flitwick’s chambers. She paced across the room watched by Severus Snape, who looked equally displeased and was leaning against the door swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand, and by the other professors all seated in Flitwick’s parlor.

“She means to limit our influence over the students, I expect.” Severus said. “Certainly knows if there’s going to be rumors bandied about concerning Black’s innocence or the means by which the breakout happened, it will come from one of us.”

“And how did it happen?” Setsuna demanded. “By all accounts these are the worst criminals and it sounds as if they were just allowed to…stroll out. What are your dementors even for anyways.”

“The dementors will have sided with the Dark Lord,” Snape continued, for the benefit, it seemed of many present. “If Black did have no hand in helping them escape,”

“You know he didn’t Severus,” Minerva snapped.

“Then I think we all know the guards must have just let them pass.”

Setsuna’s lip curled. “And no one expected that dark creatures might feel more inclined to side with a dark wizard than the government?”

At that the room was silent. Finally Severus said. “I expect that the ministry believed Dementors too chaotic to be swayed by any human.”

There was silence save the splash of whiskey into empty glasses. Finally Setsuna asked. “So what are we meant to tell the students.”

“Officially nothing,” Minerva sighed. “This would be an offence she could fire any of us for, save you of course.” She nodded to Setsuna.

“she can’t fire you?” Sprout exclaimed.

And Setsuna shook her head about to re-explain what Dumbledore had told her when a thought struck her. “No…she can’t fire me.” The path she’d been plotting out towards Jadeite’s recovery came to the forefront of her mind. The fastest path towards him had involved a situation she now recognized as the one presented to her.

“Forgive me,” she said to the group of them, “I’ve just remembered I have a lesson to plan.”

The group of professors watched as she rushed from the room, Severus barely moving aside in time.

“Whatever’s gotten into her?” Sprout wondered.

“I haven’t the slightest,” Minerva said. “Though I suspect we’ll all know by lunch tomorrow.

~ _SMH_ ~

When the seventh years entered their Muggle Studies class Wednesday morning, they were surprised to find it completely dark. As they took their seats though, the projector came to life, and all of them gasped at what was on the screen.

“That's –”

“The _hell_?”

But all the students could do was gape at the image on the screen, of a pale woman in ragged robes that clung to her skeletal frame holding her arms aloft as she stood before a giant hole in the side of a building, the stones of the wall tumbling into the dark and rough sea below. The woman reached up as a broomstick soared past, tossing something down to her. She grasped it in her hand and touched it to a tattoo on her arm, disapparating in the blink of an eye.

“Is that the breakout?” Haruka whispered to Michiru. On the screen, they could see more prisoners filing out the hole in the wall, catching wands that were thrown down to them by riders on broomsticks, and then promptly disapparating.

“Where’s Black?” Avery said, straining in her seat to see more.”

“Irrelevant,” Setsuna said as the candles and lamps around the classroom came to life. The video looped back to Bellatrix and froze, leaving her wild mane of hair and manic grin visible for all to see. “In light of recent events,” she said, “I thought a special class would be in order.”

“Professor is that actually what happened on Monday?” Abbott asked. “Were you there?”  
“I expect you can guess the answer from your own experience Mr. Abbott.” And she breezed past her gaping class up to her desk. “Though I will remind you that regretfully, being able to see the past is not the same as being able to change it.”

“Bloody hell,” The weasley’s muttered.

“What can you tell me about what you just saw?” Setsuna asked them. And her students didn’t even bother putting up their hands.

“The riders had their wands!” Macmillan exploded.

“Well they might have been replacements,” Morgana reasoned. “And…and the riders didn’t have any trouble getting close.”

“Why’s that surprising Miss. Avery?” Setsuna asked.

“Azkaban’s unplottable for one. And the dementors would have noticed them for another.”

“So how did they get to the prison?” Setsuna asked. “Give me some hypotheses go on?”

“The only way to the island is by boat,” Fawcett rattled off. “They could fly once there.”

“Good. How did they get to the boat?”

The students were silent for a while before Avery raised her hand.

“I expect the boatman was working with them…or else.” She swallowed. “They could be imperiused.”

“You mean like your Dad says he was during the first war?” Macmillan glared.

“Oi!” Fred Weasley whirled around. “Can it. She ain’t her parents.”

“Enough squabbling,” Setsuna said, noting though that Morgana and Fred were both blushing. “Alright, now explain to me: that seems fairly simple. Why has there not been a mass break out until this one?”  
“The dementors should have stopped them,” George Weasley pondered. “Unless U-no-poo has those bloody wankers on his side now.”

“What did you just call him?” Stebbins snorted. “No, nevermind, he’s right. The dementors should be swarming the place.”

“Indeed they should be. Take a look.” And they watched the video again, not a dementor in sight until the escape was over and done. As the final prisoner disapparated, the rider in his Death Eater mask and robes flew up to the hole in the prison. They could see a small patronus hovering near the end of their broom. They beckoned into the prison, flying away from it. The students collectively shivered as at least fifteen dementors soared out of the building, following the rider off into the clouds. The sea, they all noted with shock, froze in the creatures’ wake.

“Your thoughts, are, I’m sure, that this is very different from the scenario _The Prophet_ described.” Setsuna said.

“I mean we knew they weren’t being truthful,” Fred Weasley said. “But…they could have mentioned the dementors.”

“It would cause a panic,” Stebbins speculated. “It’s also…well it’s really different from when Black escaped isn’t it? Why didn’t he just take dementors with him then? And how would he have gained their favour now. I was pretty sure they were still out to kiss him.”

“So the _Prophet’s_ wrong about them being related incidents too!” Fawcett realized. “Blimey – Harry must have been telling the truth this whole time.”

“Could you clarify that Mr. Fawcett?” Setsuna said.

“Has to be He-who-must-not-be-named, doesn’t it?” He said, “No one else could…convince those things.”

“All good points, so we’ll turn to another question.” Setsuna said. “Which is, what is the advantage of misinforming you about the escape?”

“There is none is there?” Morgana said. “I mean they think there is but wont it mean anyone searching for the escapees will look for the entirely wrong things…and in the wrong places.”

“She’s got a good point? Do you suppose they told the muggle prime minister the truth?”

“Wonder if they’ve even told the aurors.”

“Hey, do you think…”

Michiru and Haruka watched from the back of the class as their peers devolved into an intense discussion about the ministry and the law and then swiftly to the coming war, a topic it seemed no one had really given them a forum in which to discuss.

And through it all Setsuna mediated, perched on her desk as she guided the discussion – which did not end until the echo of the bell through the castle signified the end of the hour.

“I encourage you to keep discussing this throughout the week.” She said as she gestured for the still chattering students to rise. “Monday, we’re going to discuss how this turn of events effects the muggle world – and how consequent events might as well.”

“You’re going to get into trouble for this, aren’t you?” Michiru asked as the last of their classmates left the room.

Setsuna winked at her. “Don’t worry about me,” she said, tapping a finger to her forehead. “I know what I’m doing.”

~ _SMH_ ~

The Muggle Studies students in every year from 3rd to 7th all have the same lesson taught to them between Wednesday and Thursday, the fourth years being the last and their lesson was nearly derailed by the furious pounding of fists against the door of class and the shrieking of unlocking spells until Setsuna cast a silencing charm towards them.

It was just one example of Umbridge’s rage. She cornered Setsuna on Wednesday night after hearing several students discussing the lesson in the hall, lambasting her for her irresponsibility, her disregard for the academic goals of the ministry, and disrespect.

“Exactly whom did I disrespect?” she countered. “By all accounts I’ve respected both the class, and the students by providing them with factual information pertaining to Muggle Studies.”

“Nothing about the current events at Azkaban pertains to that!” Dolores thundered.   
“I think you’ll find,” she said “that when it involved dark wizards on the loose around vulnerable and unaware civilians that yes – it absolutely does pertain to muggles.”

And she had continued on her way without another word, knowing Umbdrige couldn’t hex her in the crowded hallway.

She expected Dolores to react, to find some way of making an example of or for her. The method she chose surprised no one but Hogwarts own seer.

“But….but Hogwarts is my home,” she heard Sybil crying from several floors above as she and Minerva rushed down to the entrance hall on what Minerva called “urgent” business.

They were just in time to see Dumbledore offer to keep Sybil’s place at Hogwarts, and as Minerva rushed forwards to escort the sobbing Divination professor out of the crowded entrance hall, Setsuna caught Umbridge’s eye. The woman was rapidly trying to recover from the Headmaster’s decree that Sybil remain in the castle.

“In any case, Headmaster,” Dolores giggled. “I’ll have the ministry send you its list of potential appointees tonight, surely in time for them to hold classes on Monday.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Dumbledore said and every eye in the entrance hall turned to him.

“Oh?”

“As I recall – and my memory is quite sharp – the decree in question states that the ministry can fill the post only after I am unable to do so.”

“You…have…a replacement.” Dolores sputtered.

“I do, if she’ll accept.” And Setsuna sees her friends in the crowd gasp as Dumbledore gestures to her. “Professor Meioh has proven quite adept at the concepts of Divination herself.”

“The board of governors must,” Dolores began.

“Actually they don’t,” Dumbledore said. “She’s already been approved to teach at Hogwarts – If she’s qualified to teach more than one subject, she needs no further review.”

“I’d be happy to take up the post, Headmaster,” Setsuna said, “in fact, why don’t we discuss the curriculum of that course in your office.”

“Certainly,” and he turned to the many students congregated in the hall. “I believe you all have homework you should be getting to.”

And as they turned to walk to the Headmaster’s office, all the students dispersed, some quickly, others grudgedly, she caught quite a few of them snickering, muffling their laughter in the sleeves of their robes. She also couldn’t stop herself from smirking. Umbridge’s indignant sputtering worth the additional work she’d just agreed to.

 _Thinking about it_.

“You have no idea whether I’m a good choice for the Divination post, Headmaster.” She commented as they walked.

“You are a convenient choice, and call it an educated guess.” And she glanced at him warily as he told the Gargoyle “Treacle Tart” revealing the moving staircase beyond.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” she said as the Headmaster made his way to his desk and sat down in his chair. She remained standing as he steepled his fingers and gazed at her.

“I know nothing about Divination,” she began.

“Save the explanation,” Dumbledore said, reaching out to pet Fawkes on his perch. “Our mutual friend here seems to think you have quite the mastery of the future seeing arts.”

She raised an eyebrow at Fawkes. “That was meant to be a secret, you know.” And the bird ruffled his feathers and bobbed his head low as if he truly was contrite about it.

“I’m not as interested as some in the how or why?” Dumbledore said. “But I have heard you played an interesting video for your classes this week.” He leaned back in his chair. “Could you show it to me?”

She brought out her Rowan wand and conjured the projector from class, Garnet Orb already hidden inside. She let it levitate in the air and directed it at the closed office door. The prison break played out as it had in five of her week’s classes.

When it ended on the dementors flying out to sea, Dumbledore sighed.

“As I feared,” he said. “I warned Cornelius those creatures would get restless.”

“I can’t understand the appeal of employing them in the first place?” Setsuna said frowning.

“An easy way to keep them contained,” Dumbledore explained. “Not everyone can cast a patronus… or,” He said, “Kill them as one of your students can.”

She vanished the projector. “I still can’t tell you about that.”

“I’m aware – your secrets,” he shook his head. “No matter, I’m still of a mind to trust you though the ministry is another story.” His blue eyes directed a warning look her way. “Umbridge will not let your insubordination go unchecked.”

“I’m sure she won’t,” Setsuna said. “What of their wands?” She asked thinking back to the breakout.

“I would recognize Bellatrix’ anywhere – they’re the originals,” Dumbledore continued and changed the topic again. “You seem quite invested in this for a woman who has no stake in the conflict.”

“War is everyone’s problem no matter who they are,” Setsuna said.“They wouldn’t notice the wands missing?”

“Well perhaps not if there were items transfigured to look like them.” Dumbledore mused. “I shall have to relay to Cornelius that he should investigate that department of Azkaban as well. If,” he shook his head. “he’ll deign to listen to me.” And he directed his sharp gaze back at Setsuna. “You called it war.”

“Isn’t that what it is?”

“Indeed, though no one’s called it such yet.” Dumbledore said. “But enough about war for now, there’s still the matter of your new class.”

She nodded, eager to change the topic. She’d forseen she’d have the chance to do this soon though certainly not _this_ soon. “I’m going to need extra time to prepare and hold that many lessons.”

“A time-turner can be provided to you.”

She chuckled. “I don’t need one, as you know. I had another request.”

“Those doors of yours,”

“It would be very convenient,” she said. “If they could be allowed within the Hogwarts wards.”

“You’ve read up on Hogwarts a history, I see?”

“The Headmaster can allow for selected exceptions to be allowed through the wards, yes I memorized it.”

Dumbledore shook. “I can see why Minerva speaks so highly of you.” And he raised his own wand. And held out his arm. “Very well, shall we?”

She stared at him and Dumbledore chuckled.

“Side-along apparition,” he explained. “I’d prefer not to make the trek off the grounds on foot, would you?”

 _I really should be used to this magic by now_ , she chastised herself as she put her hand on his arm.

Just before they disappeared, her eye caught sight of something that at previous meetings she had glanced over. Now however she did a double take.

It was a sword, golden hilted with well polished steel and well chosen rubies inlaid in a circle on the hilt, bordering a single, opaque green stone.

~ _SMH_ ~

Monday morning saw a sulking Harry Potter glaring into his porridge.

Sirius hadn’t been able to fire-call all weekend, nor write any letter. And he’d had no more luck with Rei’s fire-meditating after the first time.

“It could have been a fluke,” she said with a shrug. “Stop moping about it, if you’re meant to get it to work it will eventually.”

“Was it easy for you?” Harry asked.

“I’m a different case,” Rei huffed. “But it took my grandfather years.”

“He knows how to do this?” Harry asked. “Does he have fire powers too?”

“Uhhh,” Rei froze with her tea halfway to her mouth and he saw Usagi and Mina turn to look at them as well. “I don’t have fire powers.”

“I mean, like you’re really…really good at fire spells.” Harry said as around the table his friends traded similar uneasy glances to Usagi and Mina’s.

“R-right,” Rei laughed. “And no…my Grandpa’s actually a muggle…but he’s really sensitive to magic, hence why he can see things in the fire at all.”

“A muggle can do magic?” Hermione exclaimed. “Really,”

“He wouldn’t really think of it as magic,” Rei murmured. “He’d meditate in front of the fire anyway – he’s a priest.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Rei said. “He taught me cause I grew up at the shrine too.”

“Does that make you a priest-in-training.”

“Nu-uh,” Rei grinned and flipped her hair back. “I’m a full Priestess. Been training my whole life.” She said, setting down her tea. “I know he’s got the crows and there’s certainly plenty of people who come by every day,” she said. “But I hope he’s not lonely at Hikawa without me.”

“I’m sure he’s fine Rei-chan” Usagi said encouragingly as Mina reached across the table and put her hand on Rei’s arm. “Don’t you write him every week.”

She snorted. “I do, but his replies either center around all the chores I have to do when I get back or very unnecessarily long descriptions of his latest crush.” She shook her head. “He’s ridiculous.”

“Potter,” he glanced up as Mcgonagall passed, dropping a piece of parchment into his hands. “You have a new timetable – you too Weasley, Hino, Aino, Tsukino.”

“What’s this for?” Ron asked.

“You’ve all got a new time for Divination,” Mcgonagall said as she continued down the table, dropping another timetable in Neville’s hands.

“He what gives?” Mina said staring between she and Usagi's timetable. “I have a different time than you!”

“And Harry has a different time than me,” Rei observed.

“And…Hermione shouldn’t there be a room listed on this?” Ron said.

Hermione plucked the timetable out of his hand and scrutinized it closely, then compared it to the others’. “None of them have a room,” she frowned. “Whatever for.”

The transfer students traded a look. Setsuna, it seemed, was up to something.

They all found out soon enough what exactly it was. Rei straight after breakfast, Ron and Harry as they made their way back from Care of Magical Creatures, Mina before her morning free period and Usagi as she was rushing between Lunch and Charms.

In all their cases, a set of regal doors materialized in their path, and swung open revealing a circle of lavender hued desks and chairs.

“Now,” Setsuna said as she closed the doors behind the last student. “As all of you are coming from different points in your day I expect you all to abide by one rule: No one is to discuss anything outside of this subject. It wouldn’t do to tell your friend something that has happened at lunch when they haven’t even eaten it yet.”

“Professor!” Lavender Brown piped up. “Where…When are we?”

“We are at a convenient time in your schedule. As for where…” She directed her wand towards the doors and they swung open, revealing a corridor lined with suits of armor. “It seems we’re in the eastern wing on the third floor at the moment.”

“That’s were our History class is,” one of the Hufflepuffs whispered

“Then I expect you’ll be leaving class first,” Setsuna said. “Now, Divination, as I’ll teach it, may be very different from the Divination you’re familiar with.”

She waved her wand and their dream journals appeared in front of them. “These for instance… even if you have been exaggerating your dreams there is still some value in what you have imagined.”

“Bloody hell she’s sharp,” Ron said as he blushed, flipping through page after page of fake dream. “D’you reckon she fails people,”

“What?” Harry hadn’t been paying attention – too busy taking in the endless-seeming lavender fog, the sand where the floor should be. Or were they clouds?”

“Has anyone ever had a prophetic dream?” Setsuna said. “Or one that seems strange in hindsight?”

Several hands shot up, Lavendar and Pavarti’s chief among them. Harry sunk down farther in his seat. No way was he discussing Voldemort here.

All in all, it proved to be a very enlightening class.

“What did she mean it could mean _this_ or _that_.” Lavender could be heard fuming that night in the common room. “Trelawney was always really clear about there being only one answer.”

“Who cares,” Ron shot back at her. “Blimey I might have actually learned something,” he said reviewing notes he’d scribbled furiously in his dream journal.

“You took notes in Divination?” Hermione stared.

“Y-yeah,” Ron muttered. “Well it was different than Trelawney ever explained it wasn’t it Harry?” he said. “Meioh makes it all sound like Chess.” He laughed. “Chess I understand.”

~ _SMH_ ~

 

Indeed, Setsuna continued to enthral her new students through all of January, to the point where Hermione Granger all but begged to observe a class. Though that was hardly the most entertaining thing to come out of her appointment.

Umbridge, anyone who had been within sight of her during the month of January and February would agree, was in a constant state of ire. She could be seen on multiple days storming up and down the halls with timetables crunched in her hammy fist. Eventually, it came to be known why.

“She’s trying to inspect Mama’s class,” Hotaru told the Ravenclaws one night at dinner. “But she can’t ever manage to find the doors.”

“She doesn’t have very good sense of direction then,” Luna said to everyone’s amusement. “I always find them without even trying.”

The students weren’t the only ones who knew Setsuna was somehow avoiding her inspection either. Mcgonagall brought it up at their weekly staff get-together as soon as Setsuna appeared at her door.

“As amusing as it is,” she told Setsuna. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Setsuna only promised that she did. With the Time Doors back, she had a clear idea of exactly what she was doing. What’s more she knew for certain that should she continue to irritate Dolores, it would put her in the perfect position to acquire Jadeite’s sword. She had yet to determine how that was, as she’d clearly seen it in Dumbledore’s office, but the timeline was stable enough that she carried on as she was meant to. Everyday, the path to the sword got a little bit clearer.

Going into February, Dolores continued to try and fail to inspect the Divination class. Each passing week, Setsuna graciously invited her to every lesson. It really wasn’t her fault Umbridge couldn’t find the doors. It was the Doors themselves that elected not to appear to her.

She was worried about Hotaru though, forseeing Umbridge’s ire turning on the first year for lack of ability to punish Setsuna directly.

“I’m going to try to have her inspect one lesson,” Setsuna told her after training one day. “Just be prepared for her to be a little more severe in class until that happens.”

Hotaru had frowned. “But, we don’t want her in the time dimension.”

“And I’d rather she not be meaner to you than necessary.”

Hotaru shrugged. “All she can do is give me detention, besides.” She giggled. “It’s funny to see her charging through the halls looking for the class.”

“I don’t want you getting in detention because of something I’m doing,” Setsuna frowned.

“That’s Umbridge’s fault, not yours,” Hotaru countered. “Besides…you said the more you annoy her the faster we might get to Jadeite.”

“That is the direction I’m being guided in,” Setsuna replied. She had tried at first to simply remove the sword from Dumbledore’s office but the office itself was heavily warded. She couldn’t simply shift the time doors inside and a cursory check of the spells around the office proved the Headmaster would know if she were there and he wasn’t, not even accounting for the many portraits who’d more than willingly tell the Headmaster if she chose to steal the sword.

No, this path through Umbridge would work.

“Then keep annoying her,” Hotaru insisted. “I can handle detention.”

She ended up there just the next week. Umbridge had caught her right at the beginning of class demanding to know how to get into the Divination classroom. When Hotaru had insisted she didn’t know, Umbridge had promptly assigned her detention writing _I must not tell lies_ , the same as Harry.

That particular night, when she healed her hand, Hotaru made sure the scars of the words remained behind.  
“Why’d you do that?” Harry asked.

“Scar solidarity,” Hotaru giggled. “So she’ll know all she’s doing is bonding us all closer together.” And she held her smaller, paler hand side-by-side with his. “See we match.”

Harry felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle as he looked at the twin scars on their hands. In his experience scars weren’t ever a good thing.

“Do you think Hotaru’s a Sailor too?” He asked Hermione and Ron that night. “I mean…she’s got the glaive and all”

“Well V or Venus was around her age when she first started solving crime.” Hermione chimed in.

“And you haven’t found anything else about them?” Ron asked. But Hermione shook her head.

“Well it’s harder to search now. Wizarding newspapers and books have nothing on them.” Hermione said. “But at least Voldemort hasn’t found anything either,” and she directed an unsure look at Harry. “Right?”

He sighed. “I haven’t seen anything else.” He was making more progress with the fire than with Snape’s occlumency though. So that was something. “I might try and see something else tonight.”

But the fire remained blank that night and the next. He supposed it didn’t help that he was always distracted – either by planning the D.A. meetings or by Quidditch, and most nights even by homework.

“You’re trying to do too much,” Rei said to him when she and Minako returned from their Valentine’s day excusion to find harry nodding off in front of the Hearth. “Even I can’t see if I’m too stressed.”

Harry had shuffled off to bed after that, and for the rest of February, he decided both fire-gazing and Occlumency were pointless efforts. Odds were Voldemort couldn’t even see in his head. It wasn’t like Harry had any interesting thought for him anyways.

At the end of February though, Harry had another dream, tossing and turning so much he woke Neville in the next bed over, who promptly woke Ron. They were about to send Pig over to Hermione too – this nightmare appeared to be a bad one – when Harry awoke gasping, throwing his comforter off the bed and promptly being sick all over the floor.

Ron vanished the mess without a second thought and as Dean and Seamus woke, Neville rushed to get water for Harry, taking three tries to get the water from his wand into the glass.

“Thanks,” Harry croaked as he drank, trying to clear his head. “Wormtail,” he finally rasped.

“Is he back?”

“Still in Japan…I need to get Professor Meioh!” He said, stumbling out of bed. “And…and Dumbledore.”

“One thing at a time, Harry, mate.” Ron said, pushing him back down onto his bed. “Least sit until you look less like you’re gonna be sick.”

“I’m fine,” he shook his head. “I need Professor Meioh, Voldemort’s gonna attack.”

“Where?”

“He’s…he actually can get in my head,” Harry muttered.

“Harry what did you see,” Ron demanded. “Blimey mate was it bad?”

“Not like that,” harry shook his head. “Look – Voldemort’s gonna attack Hikawa Shrine – Rei’s house,” he clarified at Ron’s confused look. “And... oh no. That’s how he knew Michiru and Haruka were the ones in the ministry - it was me!” Harry realized. “He knew from me.”

 

 


	11. Foreseen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of fighting in this one...

**Foreseen**

The muggle shrine wasn’t anything remarkable as far as Wormtail was concerned. What kind of home was this for purportedly powerful magical beings? He couldn’t even smell a single ward as he scampered up the many steps. All that lingered in the air was the faintly sweet smell of petty charms meant to dispel spirits – and really, when had spirits ever done more than annoy anyone?

He was well and truly winded once he had reached the top and ascended the last step with a grateful sniff. That sniff brought a smell with it that caused the rat’s instincts to heighten. Wormtail rose up on his hind legs and sniffed the air again. His form tensed. The rat knew this musky scent as well as the wizard knew his charms.

 _Cat_.

Wormtail squeaked as the purple animal emerged from behind a tree just a meter from him. The cat hissed, claws barred, the strange crescent bald spot on its head irrelevant compared to its bared teeth.

He had spent too many years as a rat, clearly, to be this skittish of an ordinary pet. Wormtail hissed back, and stood up straighter on his hind legs, allowing his body to morph back into his human form. He glared at the still hissing cat and directed his wand at it.

“Mangy thing,” Wormtail said, about to banish it.

And then he was howling as yet _another_ cat came flying at him from above, scratching him across the face. He grabbed it in his silver hand and threw it aside, cursing. His eyesight was blurred. _Damn mongrel_ , Peter thought as he tried to wipe the blood out of his face.

The blood in his field of vision so blinded him that, though he heard the frantic flapping of wings that heralded the arrival of more blasted animals, he could not see the crow swoop in from his left until it was thwacking him in the face with its wings, beak and talons nicking his skin. Then another crow came at him from above, pulling at his hair. He snarled.

He had just managed to bat the beasts away when the twin yowls of the cats signalled their renewed assault. He howled as teeth _bit_ into his remaining hand, while the dull weight on his metal limb suggested the second cat had latched onto it, as did the claws gouging repeatedly into his upper arm and chest. He waved his metal arm wildly, trying to whack the four creatures away, and felt a cat bite, again, into his hand, before leaping away, leaving behind bleeding fingers that grasped at…at.

“My Wand!” Peter howled, glaring at the purple cat who held it between her barred teeth. He rushed at it, hands swatting at the crows who had renewed their assault, and did not hear the faint _whoosh_ from behind him.

But he did feel the arms cinch around his body, the strong muscular limbs holding him back in an iron grip. He flinched, jerked away from the unknown man and transformed, once more, into Wormtail. He slipped between the man’s hands and sprinted towards the purple cat, knocking her over and clashing claw against claw before transforming again into Peter and grabbing her, tearing the wand from her jaws and holding her at arm’s length, wand pointed at her.

“This is what they count as defence in this country,” Wormtail muttered, whipping around to look at the man – a tall person with a strange white shirt and pants to match his long white hair…perhaps a muggle, though the crescent on his forehead suggested otherwise. He was glaring at Peter. “Four stupid pets and…whatever you are.”

He kept the wand on the purple cat, smelling the fear on the man…the same as he remembered from his school days the time Padfoot had held Mrs. Norris hostage from Filtch. “Not one mov – Oooow!”

He jumped back, releasing the cat from his burnt hand and stared at the spear – covered in amethyst flames, that was stuck in the ground between his feet.

“Stop right there!” A voice shouted from above. He jerked his head up to stare at the roof of the temple and the four figures standing on it. The one in front whipped her black hair aside and spoke again.

“Who do you think you are stepping on sacred ground?” she shouted. “This temple is for the faith and clarity, not your bumbling spell casting. Cease your assault at once – or in the name of Mars, I’ll –”

 _POP_!

“…Punish you,” Mars said, her voice trailing off as she leapt from the roof, raising her arms to allow Phobos and Deimos to perch on her, frowning though she pet them affectionately while they preened at her hair.

“You guys alright?” Venus asked the cats as she landed on the ground behind Mars, alongside Sailor Moon and Pluto.

“Should be,” Artemis said as he knelt – still in his human form, to lift Luna off the ground.

She smiled and curled around his shoulders, at last looking at Pluto. “Thank you for the warning,”

“I only wish we’d have gotten here sooner,” Pluto said frowning. “Sadly, space is one thing…but while sending ordinary wix and humans through time causes only minor fluctuations in the time-stream, it would not be the same for four of us,” she sighed. “A minute sooner and we could have caught him while he didn’t have a wand.”

“It’s alright Pluto,” Sailor Moon said as she approached Artemis and lifted Luna off his shoulder, hugging her advisor close. “The day is saved, that’s all that matters – right Mars?”

But Mars wasn’t looking at her. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she drummed her fingers against her arm, her frown having devolved into a pout.

“Er…Mars?” Moon asked, waving a hand in front of her face.  
“He disapparated,” she said flatly.

“You sound upset,” Venus frowned.

“He didn’t let me finish the speech!” Mars fumed. “I never get to do the speech!”

“Awe cheer up,” Sailor Moon said, walking up to Mars and clapping her on the shoulder. “You made a really good speech.” She laughed. “In fact, it was almost as good as mine!”

“Why you –” Mars sputtered, shrugging off Sailor Moon’s hand and glaring at her.

“I will still take points from you if you’re going to fight,” Pluto warned.

And as Venus began begging and pleading her to please give them points instead – “ _we’re only behind Ravenclaw by 27!” –_ the soft sound of sandals across wood drew their attention to the temple at their back. And then the clapping started.

“Well,” Mr. Hino said as he approached, beaming. “Now this I don’t see every day – Hello!” he greeted the four of them as they turned towards the main building of the shrine and greeted him in kind. Mars rung her hands as she kept her head ducked towards the ground. Pluto was sure he wouldn't see through their glamour, but still.

“I say – Thank you for defending the shrine,” he said with a bow towards Sailor Venus. “It isn’t often I see lovely ladies such as yourselves gracing these old grounds. Why you,” he nodded to Pluto “Would make a wonderful Priestess. And, so would the two of you,” he said to Sailor Moon and Venus. “Maybe you’d all like to come in for tea. We could discuss future employment, aye?” He grinned and winked at them. “I could certainly use extra security”

“Ha!” Venus cackled.

Mars held a hand to her forehead. “Gr-Mr. Hino,” she started to chasten him.

“Oh forgive me,” He said smiling at Mars. “I did not mean to insult –you’re quite beautiful yourself. It is just, you remind me very much of my grand-daughter…you know I think it’s the hair. I say, you could be a priestess too. She’d love to meet you. Though,” he tapped his chin, “My Rei has more of a thing for blonds. Runs in the family.”

Mars squeaked and gaped at him, words lost to her. Sailor Moon came up and clapped her on the shoulders.

“Sorry Mr. Hino, but we have lots of other Sailor things to do,” she said decisively, pushing a mildly mortified Mars towards the temple steps.

Venus leaned into Pluto and whispered. “I’m gonna tell’im”

“Don’t you dare,” Pluto chuckled.

~ _SMH_ ~

Makoto stormed through the halls heedless of the late hour, feet pounding on the stone floors as she raced out of the cellars. She cursed her lack of psychic powers as she ran. Thank goodness the owl Setsuna’d sent had been persistent enough to peck loudly on the dorm’s skylight!

The clack of heels against the floor caught her attention as she raced through the ground floor hallway and into the entrance hall. There were Michiru and Haruka racing up from the dungeon stairs.

“Do you know what happened?” she shouted as they raced up the grand stairs, one floor, two…

“Not yet,” Michiru shouted back, Haruka said nothing, mouth a grim line, as they sprinted through the corridors towards Setsuna’s rooms.

The portrait outside, a stern dryad, eyed them suspiciously as they approached.

“You are far past curfew.”

“Chronos,” Michiru demanded, bouncing up on her toes in impatience.

The dryad rolled her eyes. “Fine.” And swung aside.

“Mr. Hino and the shrine are alright,” Setsuna said as they rushed through the door. She was leaning over the back of the couch that Hotaru was sitting on with her legs tucked beneath her. Across from them, Ami sat in an armchair, face half hidden in a giant tome of spells, and Usagi had the other chair, Minako perched on the arm. And Rei, they saw, was pacing, her cherry wand completely engulfed in furious purple flames. “The dark wizard was easily defeated,” Setsuna continued as they joined the gathering. “And our glamour prevented either man from recognizing us.”

“But that’s not the point is it!” Rei fumed, still pacing. “They know where we live – they know who we are.”

“Harry knows who we are,” Minako corrected, staring at her crossed arms. “Some how that Voldemort guy found out too.”

“Well we know how Harry knows,” Ami chimed in, pushing her glasses further up her nose as she flipped a page in the tome. “He saw the snake attack.”

“He couldn’t have recognized us!” Haruka exclaimed as she and Michiru plopped down onto the couch beside Hotaru. She looked up at Setsuna. “No one recognizes us. We’re glamoured… right?”

“It doesn’t work here,” Michiru realized, hand coming up to her mouth. “Goodness…that means if Mr. Weasley ever saw us in person…or whomever attacked us…”

“When Ron and Harry warned Rei and me,” Setsuna said “Harry claimed that Voldemort must have read his mind.” She shook her head. “I don’t like the implications there.”

“To read minds across distances shouldn’t be possible,” Ami said. “They have the magic here, but the spell requires you to be able to see the person – preferably to look into their eyes. What Harry thinks is happening…” she shook her head. “I have no explanation.”

“His lessons with Snape aren’t going anywhere either from the way he complains,” Mina said. “Are your meditation lessons working Rei?”

“How should I know,” Rei snapped. “How could I be so stupid, telling him where I live?”

“Hey now,” Makoto frowned as she walked up to Rei and grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her pacing. “We’re not barred from talking about our lives to our friends.”

“And besides Rei-chan,” Usagi piped up. “You scared that wizard very badly. I’m sure they’ll think twice before attacking again.”

“And I’ll keep a closer eye over Tokyo than I have,” Setsuna piped up. “We should be able to find a spell that can mimic our glamour in Wix spaces.”

“There’s several,” Ami confirmed, looking up from the book. “I’m trying to decide the best one. Though I might just invent one… combine the best effects of these.”

“Good, we’ll need it soon,” Setsuna said.

“What?” They all leaned in closer, Hotaru, Haruka, and Michiru twisting around to look at Setsuna.

“When I saw Wormtail,” Setsuna explained. “I caught a glimpse of his timeline – the recent past of it at least,” Setsuna looked up at all of them, her gaze lingering a while on Hotaru. “He’d been investigating the Japanese Ministry of Magic. He found something there.”

“Related to us?” Michiru asked.

Setsuna nodded slowly, eyes shifting again to stare out the nearby window, at the first streaks of pink poking up between the trees and the highland peaks. “It seems that more debris survived the explosion at D-point than we initially assumed. I had thought we had recovered and disposed of all the wreckage, but I didn’t account for Wix investigating it first.”

“D-point,” Usagi murmured as the others realized along with her, “But that’s the old Mugen Academy site!”

Setsuna nodded again, reaching down to clasp Hotaru’s shoulder. “We should keep a close eye on our visions for the near future – it appears he was able to recover one of their daimon generators.”

The scouts gasped.

“Is it…something we really need to worry about though?” Mina asked. “I mean – we beat them before. I know it was tough, but we could handle the lone monsters.”

“I don’t think it’s the daimons I’m worried about,” Haruka said. “So much as what this Voldemort character might combine them with. Tomo…I mean the original creations were bad enough.”

~ _SMH_ ~

As Setsuna predicted, they got a glimpse soon enough what they would be up against. Rei got a vision the very next night, of monsters so large they towered above houses, swinging giant clubs in their hands. And though she couldn’t typically remember smells in her dreams, she awoke at 3:00 wrinkling her nose, with the distinct impression that these things would smell horrid.

It took effort to untangle herself from Mina, including an argument about how, yes, she did have to get up. Mina’s final insistent remark was about how they needed to stay in bed in the name of Love and Pancakes. At which point Rei shook her head and gave up arguing with her sleeping girlfriend. She slipped out of the dorm with none the wiser, hoping the fire would give her a bit more clarity about this new vision.

But she wasn’t the first one there. Harry Potter’s messy black hair was easily identified in the long shadow on the staircase. He was sitting quite close to the fire when she finally saw him, and was still dressed in the too-large tee shirt and baggy sweatpants that he always wore to bed. She sat down beside him and waited, watching the reflection of the fire in his green eyes.

After a minute though, she grew bored of waiting.

“You’re going to set yourself on fire if you sit any closer,” she said, pleased when he shouted and jumped away from her, nearly catching the sleeve of his tee-shirt on fire in the process. She held the flames back with barely a wave of her hand, something that caused Harry’s jaw to drop as usual. According to Hermione, even wix had trouble with wandless magic, and though she could only do it with this, it still shocked even her closest classmates. “Move over, I need to use this too.”

Harry scrambled aside, blushing. And as she settled in to meditate she heard him stutter repeatedly, as though trying to form a question. It was kind of similar to how he tried to talk to Cho, Rei realized, and frowned. Harry didn’t _like_ her like that. So why did she make him nervous?

Finally he blurted out “Can you touch it without it burning you?”

She kept her eyes on the fire, intent on her dream from earlier. “What do you think?”

“W-well, yeah. You can. Can’t you?”

She said nothing, getting back to the creatures in her dream. It was hard, mediating on something so important with Harry so close and clearly curious. But he was at least less distracting than Minako or Usagi. She managed after a minute or so, to conjure up the dream again. She wrinkled her nose. Yes, she hadn’t imagined it – the creatures would smell quite bad. _Trolls,_ she realized.

“Voldemort’s set on getting you,” Harry said suddenly. “I – I heard what happened with Wormtail…that was you wasn’t it… who threw the fire at him?”

“You have no way to know.”

“But…but you are one right? A Sailor?”

“How do you know what we’re called!” she said, slipping. She hadn’t meant to reveal he was right about _any_ of it.

“H-hermione found you in a comic book.”

“Which one?”

“Sailor V – that’s the same as Venus, right – Minako.”

Rei rolled her eyes and cursed Mina. “Of all the ways to lose our secret identity.”

“I – we don’t care.”

“How many of you know?” She asked.

“Hermione and Ron, and Neville and Luna... and the other Weasleys.”

“ _Fred and George,_ ugh.” Rei scowled. “Fantastic. Well keep it that way alright,” Rei ordered as she re-focused on the fire. “We’re trying to keep a low profile.”

“Oh,” Harry thought. “Makes sense I guess… Wish I could be as anonymous.”

“It’s not always for the best,” Rei sighed, thinking of her Grandfather. The day she could tell him the truth would be a load off her mind. Not to mention it would save her from anymore embarrassing conversations. “Someday, I’d like not to have to hide.”

“I’m…sorry about Voldemort by the way.”

“Not your fault,”

“I guess,” and Harry rubbed his scar.

Rei considered it properly for the first time. It was an unusual feature. “Does that hurt when you’re thinking about him?”

“More from his end,” Harry said. “If he’s upset – that’s when it hurts most.”

“Can I?” Rei asked, holding up her hand. Harry hesitated, but let her put her hand on his head and touch her fingers to his scar, he nearly flinched – they were hot.

“There’s darkness here,” Rei murmured. “I could…try to get rid of it,”

“No!” Harry jumped. “I mean…I need to be able to see what Voldemort’s planning.”

“Is it really worth having that thing?”

“Ye…” his voice trailed off as he took in her glare. “What if he surprised us?”

“What if he can feed you visions?” Rei fired back.

Harry thought of the long corridor in his dreams. “I…guess.”

“If he is planning anything,” Rei said. “I’m sure Setsuna or I would see it too or Michiru.”

“You all have visions?”

“Some form of precognition yes,” Rei said. “Come on, try it.”

Harry bit his lip and ran his hand through his hair.

“It would mean you might be able to stop Occlumency with Snape,” she added.

“Ah…alright yeah,” Harry said. “Go on then.”

Rei lifted her wand and waved it once. Sparks flew forth from the fire and gathered together, cooling into ash and then into the form of a strip of paper with Japanese characters inked onto it. Harry gulped. The calligraphy appeared to smoulder like the coals in the hearth.

“Hold still,” Rei commanded. And she stood up, now towering over him. “ _Evil Spirits_ ,” she said, moving her hands and the paper through the air. Watching, Harry could understand how she was so good with wandless spells. Her arms appeared to move as naturally as Victor Krum on a broom. She whipped her arm down, the paper zipping through the air as she directed it towards him “ _Disperse_!”

The hot, dry paper stuck fast to his forehead. It and his scar suddenly flared up with intense pain, he could hear, vaguely, Voldemort’s rasping scream alongside his own. Rei caught him by the shoulders as he fell backward, panting. The paper having disintegrated.

Rei touched her fingers to his scar again and frowned. “The dark’s still there,”

“And I can still feel him angry,” Harry said. “But…it doesn’t burn.” He looked at her. “That’s something…thanks for trying.”

“It usually works,” Rei complained. “I may never understand your magic.”

“Well I don’t understand yours – give her time though, Hermione might.”

Rei chuckled.

“Anyways thanks…sorry I distracted you from meditating.”

“It’s fine. You can still join me,” she said, settling once more in front of the roaring fire. She closed her eyes. “And the answer is no,”

“Huh?” he asked, watching her smirk. She held one of her hands in the flames.   
“My fire’s never burned.”

~ _SMH_ ~

“… _Protego-Lumos Maxima_!” Mina shouted, whipping her wand down like a whip. The shield sprang up in an arc in front of her, dazzling with Lumos brightness, and amplified by the same modification charm as the light spell. It slammed into Flitwick as a physical force – something they’d been working on with Protego for three lessons now. He stumbled back, catching himself with a cushioning charm as he shielded his eyes.

When she dismissed the spell and bowed to him he was clapping.

“Very well done,” he said. “I can safely say you’ve mastered multi-purpose shields.”

“Thank you!” Minako cheered, jumping up and down on her toes. “Does that mean we get to work on hexes now. Oooh! Or curses. There’s some curses in duels right?”

“We can start on some jinxes,” Flitwick suggested. “There are many combinations that produce interesting results.”

Mina frowned. “But…but I’ve been reading… Hexes are better for combat aren’t they? They’re harder to dispel than jinxes, and they’re quicker than curses to cast.”

Flitwick frowned. “Jinxes are easier to pair together,” he began.

“No they’re not,” Minako disagreed. “I mean…Hexes just take more practice. So shouldn’t we start those?”

“Are you the teacher in these lessons Miss. Aino?” Flitwick fired back.

“No!” she retorted. “But I want to fight effectively. If this were a club I’d understand – but its not. These are private lessons. I don’t have to worry about injuring other students, or making high-point scoring spell combinations. I just need to have the best fighting skills I can.”

Flitwick appeared about to argue and sighed. “I would prefer to concentrate on jinxes,” he amended. “But I see your point.” He shook his head. “All of you so eager to learn the real fighting,” she heard him mutter as he began to walk towards the stairs of the platform. “Yes, alright,” he said as she followed after him. “We’ll start hexes – if you can cast the jinxes non-verbally,” he told her, wagging his finger. “You are still speaking aloud and I know you’re capable of better.”

“It’s a habit,” she defended as she rushed to match his surprisingly fast steps. “Professor, wait.”

“We’ve already gone over by a half hour, Miss. Aino,” Flitwick said as he flicked his wand at the classroom door. “If I recall, Professor Umbridge is patrolling tonight and we both know she is quite uncompromising about students roaming the halls.”

“It isn’t curfew for 20 minutes,” Minako defended, frowning as Flitwick turned towards his office. He was being quite cold. “Wait – I have a question.”

“I’m sorry if I appear rude Miss. Aino,” Flitwick insisted as she caught up to him at the door of his office. He walked through the door and settled at his desk. She did not move from the doorway. “I have papers to grade.” Indeed, it appeared that he did. But she didn’t budge.

“You’ve been really patient with the shield and defensive charms,” she said, watching him shuffle through the stack of papers. “I know I’m not the best student.”

“You’re determined and curious.” Flitwick countered. “That is the best kind.”

“Why can’t we learn hexes?” she asked. “Come on, I’ll work on the non-verbal spells. I promise. And… and this is the only way I’ll learn them isn’t it? Defence is a joke. Umbridge doesn’t teach any spells, useful or otherwise.”

Flitwick snorted. “And what would you have me do, re-write my curriculum to teach every student what they should be learning in another subject. Dueling is very different from combat or defence. And that’s what I’m teaching you.”

“But…but I guess now that you mention it, yeah. Shouldn’t you adjust your curriculum…or offer more students lessons like this?” she insisted. “I mean…Hermione would be brilliant. Ami could do it. Rei, Harry, hell, even Pav would love to learn what I learn here. Even if she is bad at duelling.”

“Unless I’m mistaken, there already is a forum where they can learn their defence outside of class,” Flitwick said.

“Errr.”

“You all need to be subtler with those coins. Just because I can’t read them, doesn’t mean i can’t read the notations you all make in your planners. Minerva and I are dearly hoping D.A. doesn’t stand for Dark Arts.”

“It…doesn’t” Mina said, resolving to make sure Usagi stopped writing in her planner. _The one time we got her to use it…_ “Look,” Mina said. “Even then, this is different than that. There we learn spells – h-hypothetically – Here I learn combat.”

“You learn _duelling_ ,” Flitwick stressed.

“Same thing!” Mina shouted back.

And in the wake of her anger, a silence filled the office as Flitwick regarded her with hard eyes and tight lips. He didn’t seem angry, in fact, if she had to judge, he appeared sad. She held his gaze. She had a point.

Finally he broke their staring contest, and pushed his essays aside with a flick of his wand. As he brought it back and set it down on the desk, a drawer opened and a bottle of Firewiskey and one glass with amber stains along the bottom rose up and settled on the desk before him. He poured the drink without magic.

“The last time a student said that to me,” Flitwick said. “Was in 1977. I agreed to let the duelling club – which she was president of – take on more practical combat techniques.”

He knocked back half the glass of whiskey and coughed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his desk. “I discontinued that aspect of the club four years later. I very nearly withdrew from the club entirely, but the Headmaster is quite a persuasive man.” He gave a quiet laugh. “And she was the last private student I ever offered to teach.”

“Until me,” Minako said.

“You asked,” Flitwick told her. “Generally when I am asked I direct students to the duelling club but given it has been…restructured, I agreed to take you on.” He sighed and lifted a picture from the desk “Your reasons for wanting to duel remind me very much of hers.” He said as he handed it to her.

Mina examined it with rapt interest. There was a crowd of teenagers, including one who looked so much like Harry it was shocking. Mina squinted at the back row. There was a young man who was certainly a greasier, skinnier version of Severus Snape. He was scowling, quite a contrast to the other Slytherin boy with neat hair and an expensive looking brooch on his cloak who beamed beside him, even waving at the camera. And in the crowd were other faces she recognized from her classmates, and many more she didn’t. There must have been over a hundred kids crammed into the photo.

Flitwick tapped his finger over one particular student – a girl with red hair who was laughing as she punched Harry’s look alike in the arm hard enough to make him flinch. Mina could see the Prefect badge gleaming on her robes and the wand tucked practically into a holster in her sleeve.

“Lily was the best student I ever trained,” Flitwick told her.

“What… happened?” Minako asked.

Flitwick cleared his throat. With another sip of whiskey. “She was killed…four years after this was taken. Just another death in the war she and all the kids like her had no business being in.”

She took in the faces in the picture, watching the young Severus Snape smile at something the other Slytherin boy said. She’d never seen one on his older self.

“And the others?” she asked.

“A third of these students were dead within three years of this being taken.” Flitwick said. “Some at each others hands.” Flitwick shrugged. “Dueling is not meant to be like combat, but I let us bend the rules of the art then, as you want to now. I let them because their world was at war. And I wanted to help them.” He poured his glass full again. “But really, all I did was train them to kill, and train them to die.” He knocked back another drink. “So you see, why I may be reticent to teach anyone how to fight as bloodily as I taught them.”

“Wouldn’t they all still be dead if you hadn’t trained them?” Minako asked. Flitwick winced.

“I like to think not. How else can we do better by the next generation if not than to examine our failings with their fore-bearers.”

“But…”

“Nearly half of these students died in the war Miss. Aino. I at least feel responsible for those deaths, to say nothing for the full quarter of students in that photo who are in prison for their murders.”

As he went to grab the glass again she snatched it away. They’d seen Haruka wallow in her own sorrows in much the same way, and if she could persuade Haruka out of a drink, she could certainly handle Flitwick. She vanished his glass with her wand. “What about the ones who lived, huh? Aren’t you responsible for them too?”

Flitwick sighed, conjuring another glass and making sure to proof it against being vanished. “One could also argue that they wouldn’t have fought if we hadn’t given them the tools.”

“I would have,” she said. “I will…regardless of whether I know how or not. If it’s something important enough to me – or someone – then of course I’d lay down my life for that cause. And I bet they were the same.” She pointed to the teenaged Snape. “I bet he would have fought with or without the skills – I can even ask him.” And she pointed to the red headed club president, _Lily_ again. “And what about her? You said a third died in three years. Well she lived four…so how many battles did she survive because of what you taught them?”

Flitwick said nothing. Nor did he lift his glass from the desk.

She continued. “And the rest of them, how many battles did they win because of you, or escape, or heal from. Even the ones in prison, surely you’re happy they lived…some of them,” she amended when he winced. “And anyways: half of these kids lived. You’re responsible for that.”

“Death weighs more heavily on a conscience than life,” Flitwick said.

“I know,” Minako nodded. “And I mean…the guilt is there. And it never leaves. And it’s exactly like a sword through the gut at times…but you know what.” she waved a hand over the picture. “How many lives did they save? Because I bet you there’s lots of others who didn’t learn to duel who still fought. And I bet it was your students who got them out of danger…how many died protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves? I bet a lot of them did. And you know why? Because they were brave enough to do it. The same reason they fought – they were brave enough to do it. Not because they were trained to think they could. They’d have fought, and died, and protected others anyway. You gave them the best tools you could and they made the most of them.”

She stood up, putting the photo in front of him. “Lily and the others might be dead. But every fight they survived, and every life they saved…those’re on you too.”

She stands in the door a few moments, watching him stare at the picture.

“A sword through the gut,” Flitwick finally muttered. “I shouldn’t ask how you know that.” He vanished the bottle. “Run along then – you’re certainly breaking curfew now.”

She smiled at him. “Goodnight Professor,” she said. “See you Monday.”

“Work on your non-verbal casting!” he called after her as she walked out of the office and the classroom.

Gryffindor was ahead by 20 points the next morning. She denied any knowledge of how, but did exchange a toast of coffee mugs with Flitwick at breakfast.

The next week, she found she was not alone in her duelling lessons. Anthony Goldstein, Ginny Weasley, and Hermione Granger were already there when she arrived.

~ _SMH_ ~

_She stood in the middle of the village with Jupiter and Venus on either side of her, flaming spear poised like an arrow at the tallest of their assailants. She let it loose, watching it soar through the troll’s skull. They scrambled back along with several students in Hogwarts robes as the beast roared and collapsed to its knees, followed immediately by its bulky torso that slammed into the ground so hard the Earth shook._

_“More where that came from,” Jupiter said, nodding at the three trolls stamping through the village amongst terrified pedestrians, all absorbing the spellfire in their odorous hide._

_“Sailor Moon!” she heard Neptune’s shout and whipped around in time to see Sailor Moon with her moon staff raised high, facing down the spiked clubs of six trolls that had circled around her. She pivoted, summoning her spear back. But she wouldn’t be fast enough. She charged anyway as the trolls raised their weapons towards Sailor Moon, hearing the shouts of students all around, the roars of a small army’s worth of more monsters, and the smell…the putrid odour that rolled off of every single one of the vile things…_

Rei woke with a gasp accompanied by an impressive sneeze that set the curtains of her bed aflame, startling Mina so badly she rolled onto the floor with a thud and woke Usagi in the next bed.

“Sorry,” Rei whispered as she got the flames out with a quick spell. “Oh god the smell,”

“The trolls again?”

“If they smell this bad in your dreams,” Usagi piped up. “I really don’t want to smell them in person.”

“Neither do I,” Rei shuddered. “I did get a better look at some things this time.”

“Like what?” Mina whispered.

But across the room they heard rustling and noticed Lavender Brown’s hand sticking out the closed curtains around her bed, wand in hand.

“Be quiet!” she said as she waved it in their vague direction.

“Sorry,” they whispered in unison. Mina looked around and gestured towards the dorm door, leading all of them over as they crept, in their slippers and pyjamas, out the door and down the stairs to the common room.

In a bed by the windows, Hermione Granger faked her own sleep as Usagi closed the door behind the three, and she waited a full minute longer before sitting up and reaching under her pillow, pulling out a coiled up piece of flesh-coloured string. She released one end and looked at the cat that was sleeping at the foot of her bed.

“Crookshanks,” she whispered.

The cat yowled and stretched, licking his lips as he stared at her.

“Quiet. And don’t eat this one,” she said as she held the string out to the cat.

Crookshanks regarded her with his impassive yellow eyes.

“Oh don’t be difficult come on,” she said wagging the string in front of it. “Take it to the common room please…I’ll get you an extra mouse.”

He deliberated another moment before stretching and giving a soft _meow_. He took the string between his teeth, trotted over to the dorm door, and scratched it open before disappearing down the stairs.

She decided that she owed the cat two mice for not eating the extendable ear as the sound from the common room began to flow back to her.

“Thirty, are you sure?”

“Positive,”

“And three of you took down one and left me with six?”

“I was running to save you!”

“Aw relax Rei-chan. I’m kidding,” she heard Usagi laugh. “Besides – I took on Chaos. I think I can handle a few trolls.”

“They seemed pretty hard to kill,”

“Well…eh, we’ll figure it out, right?”

“I guess,” Rei sighed. “If this is what the Daimon Generator was used for though…”

“You’re right,” Mina said. “They could be even more powerful than the normal creatures which, Ami told me, are pretty resistant to magic.”

“We can handle it if we work together,” Usagi said. “And hey – Maybe Setsuna or Michiru saw something about it that could help you.”

“They have,” Rei said. “Setsuna’s saying she wants us to meet them tomorrow after Defence.”

She heard Usagi gasp. “Oh nooo, I haven’t done the essay yet!”

“You had three weeks!” Mina gaped.

“I knooowwww. But I thought it was boring – can I borrow yours!”

“And get detention for cheating? No way, all you’ll get is points off.”

As their hushed conversation turned away from things she felt the need to pry into, Hermione rolled up the extendable ear. She tucked it back under her pillow and lay staring out towards the dorm window.

It had been so hard to catch any of them talking about this Sailor thing. And now Rei seemed to be dreaming up an attack. Would it be on Hogwarts? Who was sending it?

And were they going to fight it alone?

~ _SMH_ ~

Hermione caught Harry and Ron before breakfast the next morning, pulling them out of the crowd of other Gryffindors and into an empty classroom.

“Have you had anymore dreams about Voldemort?” She prompted Harry as she shut the door.

“That’s exactly what I needed to hear on a Monday morning,” Ron complained.

“Just…just the door. Why?”

Hermione bit her lip.

“I think he’s planning something – Rei saw something last night.”

Harry and Ron traded glances. And Hermione carried on.

“There’s going to be an attack of some kind – she dreamed of the battle, I think. And they’re going to meet to talk about it today.”

“Were you spying on them?” Ron gaped at her.

“I thought we’d need to know – and we do.” Hermione insisted. “Honestly they’re all so much like Harry,” she complained and when he frowned at her she explained. “I think they mean to fight it alone.”

“How is that like me?”

“Really mate?” Ron deadpanned. Really.

Suddenly the classroom door swung open.

“He’s not the only one who likes to plan things on his own,” Ginny said as she walked into the room, pocketing an extendable ear. Luna and Neville slipping in behind her.

“I should confiscate that,” Hermione said.

“And I should tell Mcgonagall about yours,” Ginny retorted. “I know perfectly well Prefects aren’t supposed to keep the contraband they confiscate. You know if you wanted one so badly you could have straight up asked George.”

Hermione blushed. “And what do you mean planning things alone?”

“You said there’s gonna be an attack.” Neville said. “And, it sounds like you and the exchange kids are gonna go off and fight it alone.”

“We don’t even know anything about it yet.” Hermione said.

“Well if you are going off finding trouble we’re not letting you get into it alone.” Neville said. “We’ve all been training with the D.A. – isn’t this what we made it for?”

“It’s just a defence substitute,” Harry protested.

“Well isn’t this the sort of thing we need to defend against?” Luna said. “I should think all of us would be better against an attack than none.”

“Especially if it’s Death Eaters,” Neville insisted. “We should pull in some of the teachers too. Forget about Umbridge and the ministry, Dumbledore should know.”

“I don’t think it’ll be Death Eaters,” Hermione said. “The way Rei was talking it sounded more like dark creatures.”

“Then we want in,” Ginny insisted. “Well, the three of us I mean – but you bet the rest of the D.A. will want to help too.”

“In a way,” Luna added. “I should think it’d be good practice.”

Harry, Hermione and Ron traded glances.

“We’re going to help no matter what,” Neville added.

Hermione sighed. “Right well – we need more details. The exchange students are meeting Setsuna in her office before dinner tonight. We should go.”

“Sounds alright,” Harry frowned.

“Yes, oh! Except…” Hermione hesitated and glance between Harry and the floor. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be there…what if Voldemort’s spying on you just like you’ve been trying to with him?”

“That’s not fair!” Harry protested. “You’ve at least got to tell me what’s up after.”

“I…actually Harry she has a point,” Ron said. “What if we tell you, and Voldemort finds out, and he changes his attack at the last minute. We’d be messing up Rei’s visions…might go bad for them and us.”

“But if I can’t spy on him whenever I want, what makes you think he’s figured it out?”

“Oh come on Harry,” Hermione sighed. “He heard about Rei’s house didn’t he? Of course he can spy on you. So we can’t reveal to much to you.”

“So you’re leaving me in the dark again,” Harry scowled. “Figures.”

“Hey,” Ginny said. “You’ll still get to fight…we’re just trying to be careful. Besides, can’t you only see Voldemort, not read his thoughts?”

“I…yeah I guess so.”

“So,” Ginny said. “He can probably see through your eyes.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But he probably can’t just read your mind – trust me, you’d know.”

“So that means,” Luna said, “we could leave you hints. You’d just have to be able to figure it out. I could design them,” she grinned. “You know I’m quite good at puzzles.”

Harry sighed, “Fine,” he said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his robes. “Let’s go to breakfast – before Umbridge or someone comes looking for us.”

~ _SMH_ ~

After the last class, Hermione, Ron, and Neville took a round-a-bout route to follow the scouts after Defence, meeting Ginny and Luna along the way. The Dryad guarding the door looks at them sternly as they gather in front of it.

“And what business do you have with the Professor?” it hummed.

“Err,” Ron coughed.

“May I?” Luna said, stepping between Hermione and Neville to stand in front of all of them. “Chronos!” she told the Dryad. The portrait raised its eyebrows, but slid aside, revealing a plain, wooden door.

“How did you know that?” Ginny asked.

Luna shrugged. “It made perfect sense. I thought everyone would get it.”

Hermione rolled her eyes as she stepped forwards and grabbed the door handle, turning it and pushing on the wood door, silencing the conversation going on inside the room.

“Miss Granger,” Professor Meioh said from where she was perched in an armchair with the Slytherin seventh years on either side of her. She waved her hand at the empty one of a pair of black couches between her seat and the one the fifth years crowded had crowded onto. “Come in, I was expecting you.”

Ron audibly gulped as the five of them filed inside, seating themselves in short order while the fifth and seventh years stared at them.

“I’m glad you knew we’d be here to help, Professor?” Luna said, admiring the whirling patterns on the couch. “This is a lovely transfiguration – that’s the Pegasus constellation isn’t it?” And Setsuna nodded, everyone else in the room looking on in confusion.

“They’re…helping us?” Michiru asked Setsuna.

“They’ll be a great help,” Setsuna said. “Besides I believe anything involving their dark lord isn’t just Sailor business.” And several of the exchange students jumped as she said that. Hermione even noticed Ami, the closest to them, tense and curl her hands into fists in her lap.

“Sorry,” she said to Hermione. “Not quite used to other people knowing.”

“It must be strange,” Hermione conceded. “By the way – who else are you? I know Mina’s Sailor Venus.”

“We know,” Haruka said, glaring at Mina who had hung her head and was mumbling something about it otherwise being an excellent manga portrayal of her.

“Mercury,” Ami whispered.

“You’re named after male gods too then?”

“No,” Ami frowned. “Planets.”

At which point, Hermione’s eyes went wide as she counted under her breath. “nine of you…nine pl – OH!” She slapped her hand over her face. “I am so _stupid_.”

“So,” Ron grinned. “Does that mean someone’s.” he chuckled. “Sailor Uranus,”

Ginny and Neville both snorted though Neville tried to muffle his amusement with his hand. All the fifth year scouts had no such qualms, Minako and Makoto broke out into the most boisterous fits of laughter and even Michiru giggled as she looked sideways at Haruka who was glaring at all of them.

“I hate English,” she muttered under her breath.

Just then the door swung open.

“SorryI’mlate!” Hotaru gasped as she slammed the door behind her. “Sprout had us – oh,” she blinking at the new couch and the new people. “Hi,” she grinned at them. “Are they helping?”

“They are,” Setsuna said as Hotaru bounded up to she and the Slytherins, hugged each of them, then plopped down in the empty armchair next to them. “What’s so funny?” she asked, looking at all of the still giggling students.

“ _Nothing_ ,” Haruka insisted. “Okay then.”

“Right,” Mina said, sobering up. “Well as we were just saying, Rei reckons there’ll be thirty of them – oh,” she turned towards the Gryffindors. “It’s trolls, by the way.”

Ron groaned, and Neville paled, but all of them nodded and exchanged resolved looks.

Trolls, after all, were certainly not as bad as they’d been expecting.

~ _SMH_ ~

The ides of March wasn’t an especially auspicious day to hold an outing anyways, but since school governors never consulted centaurs on these matters, that is when the Hogsmeade weekend was. And all the scouts agreed, that was the target of the troll attack.

 _"Shouldnt we tell Dumbledore?” Neville worried._ __  
"No!" Hermione exclaimed. Ron's eyes bulged out if his head as the others looked on in interest. "Don’t you see: if they're coming by portkey like Setsuna says, that's evidence. If we tell Dumbledore, the weekend will be cancelled and the ministry will bury the evidence so no one thinks it was Voldemort." she looked around at all of them with a fiery gaze. "This is our chance to expose him."  
The scouts were nodding; Haruka, Michiru, and Minako were giving Hermione smiles of admiration. Ron and the others though were still staring, Ron's mouth opening and closing as if trying to find words.  
Finally he swore. "Bloody hell Hermione. Usually you’re telling Harry and I off for these kinds of ideas"  
"This isn’t like that!" she blushed "This is...this is more important than rules." She bit her lip "Mcgonagall’s going to be so mad at me."  
"Who cares!" Ron laughed and swung an arm around her shoulders. "Hermione you're brilliant!"…

Though no one checking out the students would have noticed, this particular Hogsmeade trip was stalked full of D.A. members. Everyone from Fred and George – who’d eagerly jumped at the idea as soon as Harry’d pulled them aside to ask, to Collin Creevey who was going despite Ginny’s insistence that he really didn’t have to and no one expected him to prove anything.

_“I know, but thirty trolls is nothing to scoff at – come on! Let me help,” He’d begged, giving them all a goofy grin. “I’m in Gryffindor for a reason, yah know.”…_

Harry could see him now, face pressed with all the subtlety of a Dazzling charm against the window of Honeydunk’s. And across the way, Fred, George and Lee much more casually milling about outside Zonko’s testing out their newly bought pranks. They all had their wands out, he noticed, heads frequently turning towards the empty center of the village.

His own wand was in his hand. No one had outright told him it was trolls, all still afraid Voldemort would know they’d caught him out. He’d seen Ron and Ginny drawing what appeared at first glance to be incredibly convoluted Quidditch plans with all the players labeled “T,” and managed (after more thinking than he’d done since the Second Task) to figure out what they were facing.

30 Trolls. His own wand was held in his hand under the table as he sipped a butterbeer. Even with five years of magical training under his belt, he still felt as ill prepared as he had in first year.

 _"They're going to portkey in," Setsuna said, pulling up a map of Hogsmeade with only a wave of her hand, "In three locations"_ __  
Three red dots glowed on the map: one in the village square and two on the outskirts.  
"This is close to the road to school," Hermione said, pointing at the map.  
"How many in each place,” Ron asked, examining the map as he would a chessboard.   
"That I can't determine," Setsuna said.  
"It wont be equal," Ami said "Rei and Michiru both described facing different numbers in different parts of the village."  
"If they stagger’em," Ron said. "They could do two things" he pointed his finger at the map as he spoke. "If they're trying to get to Hogwarts, I'd group most of ‘em by the road.”  
"But if their objective is destruction," Haruka said "They'll group them in the population center.  
"Exactly." Ron said. "And if they have clubs…"  
"Spiked ones," Rei said.  
"And at least one sling shot," Michiru added…

“Any minute now,” Michiru said, gazing into her mirror as she sipped a coffee. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna were in the booth next to theirs, all intent on the empty Hogsmeade center outside.

 _"And I have to stay here right?" Hotaru sighed._ __  
"You have no business being in Hogsmeade," Setsuna explained.  
"Harry knows how to sneak out –"  
"No," her parents said with varying degrees of severity.  
"We need you here," Michiru said, bending down and putting a hand on Hotaru’s shoulder. "If you hear word from us it’s going badly, you'll be the only one in place to defend the castle.”  
"And tell the faculty what's happening," Setsuna added.  
"What'dya say kid?" Haruka ruffled her hair. "You have our back?"  
Hotaru straightened up and nodded vigorously. "Yes!"…

Harry swallowed a sip of his mostly full butterbeer as the minutes ticked by. “I don’t like this.”

“Whatdya mean Harry?” Neville whispered.

“Dunno,” he said, thinking back on a conversation he’d managed to glean through the fire just last night.

_“Everything on my end is all set my lord,” Wormtail had announced in the middle of a deep bow._

_“Good Good,” Voldemort had said as he (and Harry through him) waved a hand at two Death Eaters – including one Harry recognized as Walden Macnair. “You’re to report back on this idea. Wormtail if you do well,” Voldemort told his servant. “You could be rewarded richly.”…_

“Get ready,” Michiru said as she pushed her coffee towards the center of the table. Harry shook himself out of the vision. So Wormtail had done something special to the trolls, what of it?

He stood when the scouts stood, following Setsuna who’d shot up, pointing out the window.

And they appeared right where she’d pointed – seven trolls all holding a giant tree trunk. Five of them dropped it. But two more roared, ripping it in half and throwing each end – one towards several students lounging near a fountain and the other straight at Three Broomsticks front window.

“ _Wingardium Leviosa!_ ” Ron shouted, grunting as his spell hit the tree trunk. He whipped his arm back and hurtled the tree trunk back towards the trolls, hitting the largest of the seven in the torso. It fell to the ground with a terrible roar.

“We need to get that tree,” Hermione said.

“Right,” Harry listening as Minako handed out orders to the exchange students. “Hermione and Ron, we’ll clear a path through the middle.   
“Our team will defend the village center and the students,” Minako said. “Haruka – you guys defend the road. Warn any students or others walking in.”

“Neville, Ginny, Luna, head over that way too. See how many there are. If thinks get out of hand, head for the Owl Emporium, get a message off.”

“Watch out,” Minako was cautioning. “We don’t know if they can steal hearts yet.”

“I’m going to go round – help whoever needs help,”

“There may be more than we expected near the third entry point,” Mina said. “We clear these out of the square and then head that way.”

“Right,” the scouts chorused.

“Harry clear out!” Ron shouted. “They’re headed this way.”

They scrambled out of the booths, watched by Mme. Rosemerta who was ushering other customers behind the bar and down into the cellar. Harry saw Minako lead the scouts towards the back stairs.

“Don’t worry,” Makoto smirked. “We’ve got our own entrance planned.”

“Remember the glamour charm,” he heard Setsuna say as Ginny followed Neville out the front door.

“Be careful,” he told the two of them.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Ginny said back.

And then Harry was alone at the front door watching Ron and Hermione set a circle of fire around the trolls in the center while across the way, Fred George and Lee put their new fireworks to use.

He followed the sounds of further roars – towards the hills, he could see at least ten other trolls behind the Hogs Head and a further eight demolishing the train station under foot and club.

“I wish I had a broom,” He muttered.

“I’ve got one!” Mme. Rosemerta shouted behind the bar. And he whipped around as she produced a cleansweep, flinging it towards him with a swift flick of her wand. He caught it easily in his hand. “Get Dumbledore!” she shouted, stuffing the last customer into the cellar.

He didn’t answer, mounting the broom and taking off right out the door, rising up, up, up, above the heads off all the trolls. There was one who’d spotted Hermione as she raced around the first felled troll to get to the tree. It raised its spiked club. Harry raised his wand. “ _Bombarda_!” he shouted, the troll roaring as the spell bounced off its belly, pitching it sideways. Its club swung off target as it fell, allowing Hermione to slip through and cast another spell – a slew of ropes constricted around the troll’s feet. She carried on towards the tree – which had fallen on the other side of the fire circle near Zonko’s.

Harry raised his wand again as the troll and its fellows turned to face him. He cast a shield charm as one swung at him and flew up higher, higher, higher.

He stopped when he was high enough to see over all the buildings.

The road towards Hogwarts had only eight trolls. But a full crew of sixteen were rushing towards Hogsmeade from the hills, one a full ten meters tall – at least. It carried a slingshot and had a ruin blazing on its forehead.

And as he soared towards it to get a better look it spotted him, its empty slingshot flinging back and releasing out of thin air a boulder three times Harry’s size. He swerved to avoid it and gasped when it followed at a speed the cleansweep could barely match.

“Starlight Honey Moon Therapy KISS!”

A beam of white light zipped over his head, hitting the boulder dead-on. It froze mid-flight, breaking apart from the inside until it crumbled to the ground as dust and then the beam continued on – hitting the huge troll in the chest. It began to glow, shrinking and shrinking until Harry could see no more of it through the buildings and trees. His hair was now standing on end from the power of the spell and he turned the broom towards the spell caster – standing amid seven others on the roof of Three Broomsticks.

“The last time I smelled something this bad I was fighting in a dump,” The blond figure said. And it took even Harry – who knew their identities – a few minutes to realize the glamoured person’s voice sounded vaguely like Usagi’s. “Which is clearly where you came from,” she continued, voice carrying more naturally than one under a sonorous charm. How could he hear her even up here?

The trolls, for that matter, roared in unison. And the blond raised her staff towards the tallest one who’d attacked Harry.

“You have no business here – leave. Or in the name of the Moon,” she grinned. “I’ll punish you!”

Now she had the attention of the six trolls in the center as well. One shook its club, sending a rain of spikes off it and into the air. Harry dodged, the eight figures leapt off the roof. He saw one of the six in the center spin too-quickly for a normal troll and stomp once, making the ground buckle and knocking Hermione off her feet just a short distance from the half of the tree portkey.

“Oi! Pea brain!” Ron shouted, chucking a pebble at it. As he did, Hermione got her wand up and launched a jet of fire at its back. It cried out, spit flying everywhere, and dropped its club, leaving only its fists to do damage.

Which was plenty, in Harry’s opinion, as he tried not to think about the troll spit in his hair. He spotted ten D.A. members going up against the sixteen trolls on the village outskirts and looked down at the scouts. Three of them were running towards Ron and Hermione, two were headed towards the massive group of sixteen, and three were sprinting towards the eight trolls on the Hogwarts road.

Harry pulled the broom around, wizzing towards the sixteen as fast as he could.

~ _SMH_ ~

“Shine Aqua Illusion!” the jet stream of icy water knocked back the line of trolls as it raced along the ground. It drenched them and left behind an ice-coated ground between the monsters and the students firing spells at them.

“And they still smell” Moon complained, bringing up her staff.

“Wait,” Mercury said. “You can’t possibly use that ten times in a row,” she tapped her earring and flicked her visor down, grateful it was magic and not electric like the computer. “We need to get as many of them close together as possible.

“Who’re you?” one of the Hufflepuff’s shouted.

“Doesn’t matter!” Angelina Johnson shouted, zipping overhead on a broom and tossing two more down to Alicia Spinnett and Katie Bell. “We can group’em together!” she shouted to Moon and Mercury. “So you can do,” she waved at the Moon staff. “Whatever that does.”

And then the three Gryffindor Chasers were off, casting a spell at Angelina’s command. Whips of fire funnelled out of their wands and wrapped around the trolls, isolating ten of the sixteen. They corralled them until they were back to back – all the while dodging swinging clubs and spikes. The remaining six stomped in front of Mercury’s thick sheet of ice, trying to crack it, only for another Shine Aqua Illusion to trap their feet entirely.

“There’s definitely been some interference to them by other magic,” Mercury said. They ducked a slew of new spikes and Mercury raised her staff. “Expelliarmus!” she shouted. The spell shot forth from the beak of the bronze bird and hit the clubs of the trolls clustered nearest them. The weapons flew out of their hands, giving Alicia Spinnett the chance to swoop in and constrict the rings of fire even tighter around the trolls.

“Sailor Moon,” Mercury said. “It should grab all of them now.”

“Right!” And Sailor Moon lifted the staff, letting Therapy Kiss engulf the creatures entrapped by the fire. The students around them gaped as the roars of the trolls turned at once to feeble cries. When the light faded, all that remained within the fire were ten wriggling lumps swamped by the rags worn by their adult forms.

“Awww,” Sailor Moon smiled. “See they don’t smell so bad like this.”

“Um.”

They turned to look at Roger Davies, whose wand was trained on the six remaining trolls. “They’re not supposed to have those.”

Moon and Mercury whipped around, Mercury’s eyes, through her visor, immediately zeroing in on the difference.

The trolls had vacant looks on their faces, and in the centre of their foreheads, a white ruin blazed.

“That’s not the Death Buster symbol,” Moon frowned.   
“It’s a magic ruin,” Mercury replied. “Hang on – we don’t have many records about these, but I should be able to isolate the purpose based on other energy.” Her eyes widened as that information sprang up on the goggles, an overlap of the trolls magic being presented to her. It was mostly green, but dark grey magic swirled at their foreheads, and trailed out into their arms and legs…the magic mimicking muscles.

Mercury also noticed the thinness of the ice before any heard it.

“Run!” she shouted, pushing Sailor Moon back as the troll’s foot exploded through the thick ice, sending chunks through the air.

The trolls smashed through houses, broke trees, and knocked over several students, as all along the line the other five trolls got free. They raced faster than some of the students, their agility heightened so much their clubs were blurs in the air. White symbols blazed on their foreheads.

Mercury’s eyes darted back and forth beneath the visor, reading energy signature after energy signature, tracing the patterns of magic through the trolls bodies. This wasn’t the work of Death Buster magic, for certain.

“The symbols are enhancing their speed!” Mercury said, dodging two clubs and landing hard, wincing as her elbows dug into the ground. She rolled, staff tucked close, as the closest troll rushed at her. Its foot came down so close that the ground beneath her slammed upwards.

“Aqua Rhapsody!” she gasped, hands going to the strings of the ice harp that had sprung forth from the center of the staff. A jet stream of water hit the troll behind its knee, sending it toppling down. It landed in a heap, glazed eyes rolling back in its head. Though its limbs still moved incredibly fast, all potentially deadly. Keeping back a safe distance, Mercury zeroed in on the symbol. Magically carved.

“You need to pierce the hide,” she shouted, jumping up to stand on its neck and directing the metal bird that capped her staff towards the ruin on the felled beast’s head. “Here!” and she let off a swift cutting curse. The force, so close, split right through the thick hide, and the glowing ruin faded to a light scar.

“You heard her!” Johnson shouted, sending a magical arrow shooting towards the troll closest to her, it bounced off the beast’s eyelid as it chased her, gaining on the broom.

Eventually, Moon and the students got that one down on the ground, but that still left four, rushing towards the main square where Venus, Mars, and Jupiter were still going toe-to-toe with five. Fred and Georges fireworks had taken out the sixth, though they and Lee were now trapped beneath its arm casting futile spells at the hardy creature’s flesh.

As for the three scouts circling the five, they were currently at a stalemate. The beasts had lashes all over their hides from the Love Whip and several burns from Mars and Jupiter, but their clubs had inflicted equal damage on the Sailors and the surrounding buildings – the spikes being resistant to fire and lightning.

And ever since the white ruins had begun glowing they’d been even faster, the scouts barely dodging.

Or not dodging.

“Mars!” Venus shouted as one troll swooped in and back handed her, sending the fire guardian tumbling backwards and crashing into Mme. Puddifoots front window, glass shattering around her. She raised one hand in a thumbs up, hauling herself upwards as Jupiter ran towards her, Venus now defending them all, using the Love Whip to wrench at least the troublesome clubs from the trolls’ hands.

“Your spear!” Jupiter shouted. And she looked around. Her flaming spear had landed across the battlefield, amethyst flames burning close to another troll’s foot.

She took Jupiter’s hand and let the taller scout sling her arm around her waist. She gripped Jupiter’s shoulder for support and held out her free hand, purple flames springing forth in her palm.

“I don’t need it,” she rasped, watching as Venus jumped on top of one Troll’s club as it swiped at her, using it to launch up to its face level and lash the whip around its head. It grabbed the whip in its meaty hand and flung Venus like a doll.

“Come on!” Mars said, flame in her hand growing. “Let’s help her.

For her part, Venus was holding on to the whip with both hands. The air whipped by at impossible speeds. She wrapped one end around her wrist and clenched her teeth. She could barely breathe at the speed the beast was spinning her through the air, let alone cast.

 _You need to work on silent casting_ , Flitwick had cautioned.

She focused on the wand-turned whip constricted around her wrist and curled both hands tighter into the chain links She closed her eyes.

_Lumos Maxima!_

The blazing light raced up the length of the Whip, blinding the troll who stumbled and briefly slowed. And she swung down towards the ground as the force left her spin. She swung around the troll’s legs along the way, so that once on the ground, she had wrapped three times around it.

And when it realized this, attempting to run and finding it couldn’t, the beast grunted, legs pushing against the chain. But she held firm.

And then, the still dazzled troll did exactly what she’d wanted.

It dropped the other end of the whip.

 _Big mistake_ , she thought, grabbing the blackthorn handle. Two more trolls were advancing on her. “Venus Love Me CHAIN!” she shouted and from the bare end of the whip, a brand new set of chain links exploded forth, twining around the ankles of the two other creatures.

“Mars!” she shouted, spotting she and Jupiter hobbling towards her. she raised one hand and waved it, sending the tail of the whip that had fallen from the troll’s grip, soaring straight to Mars and Jupiter who caught it easily in mid air.

“Fire SOUL”

“Supreme THUNDER!”

As one, the thunder and the fire raced down the length of the Whip. Venus gritted her teeth as it approached. It hit the first troll and sent it into howls of pain as the lightning and fire tore into it past all its magical protections. Venus held on as the whip jerked from the felled troll and the two others, keeping it steady even as the lightning and fire seared past, knocking her back as they travelled from one end of the whip into the other and lit up the final two entrapped creatures.

And she saw the final two they’d been fighting charge at Moon, surrounding she and Mercury who stood back to back. She looked around, Mars’s spear. She grabbed it and threw it towards the fire guardian who caught it, and began running forwards despite a pronounced limp. Jupiter raced ahead of her and Venus wasn’t far behind. They could do it agai…

“Starlight Honeymoon Therapy KISS!” Sailor Moon shouted as the beam of white blazed from her staff. She raised it high, rotating in a circle to get not one, or two, but all six of the beasts that had encircled her. They roared and then cried as they shrank, still engulfed in white, into baby trolls no bigger than a volleyball. Venus sighed, slumping forwards as she came to a stop and braced her hands briefly on her knees. Once she caught her breath she looked to Rei who’d stopped a ways back, and was once again being supported by Jupiter. Venus came up on her otherside.

“Everyone alright?” Venus asked and they all nodded. “Good.”

“Hey,” one of the Weasley twins shouted. And they looked over. They three were still trapped by the dead troll. “A little…help…here.”

As the ran across the square, they noticed a head above the trees, and a second…two trolls still wandering near the road, and, from the looks of the spells intermittently flying past them, still being fought too. Moon frowned.

“I thought they’d have finished off those eight by now?” Usagi mused.

“Come on!” Venus said as Mercury levitated the troll corpse off the teenage boys. “Let’s help them.”

As they ran, the Weasleys joined, looking up at the sky.

“Huh?” one said.

“Where’s Harry?”

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good~_

 


	12. And Unforeseen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THERE WAS A DOUBLE UPDATE THE WEEKEND OF 18/3/16 SO MAKE SURE YOU READ CHAPTER 11 FIRST.

Harry had flown overhead to help fight the sixteen trolls entering Hogsmeade from the hills and had used a cutting curse on two of those caught in the Chasers’ flame ropes. He had also managed to save Dean from becoming a pancake and was looking over to the main square to see if that group needed help when he caught sight of something in the distance: ten new troll heads bobbing through the trees – approaching the road to Hogwarts. He whipped the cleansweep around, wobbling as he completely the manuever too fast for the old model, and shot off towards the last group of combatants. He could see the reinforcements nearing the road, where the heads of five other trolls and the lights of heavy spellfire were still visible. And at least one troll had a slingshot.

The conversation he’d heard between Voldemort and Wormtail was still in his head. What was Wormtail’s part in the plan? Or Macnair’s? To bring in more trolls once the first wave had distracted those already in Hogsmeade.

But what sense was there in sending them against the Castle? Harry banished his questions as he leaned into the broom, urging it faster as the ten new reinforcements caught up with the others.

~ _SMH_ ~

“Space Swords BLASTER!” Uranus shouted as she jumped into the air and sent the twin slashes towards the troll’s arm. They barely scratched the thick hide, but did slice the slingshot to shreds. She whooped and readied herself for a landing, prepared to throw a World Shaking at its ankles once she was on the gr –

She saw the rune on its forehead flare as it bent low, reached, and, with stunning alacrity grabbed her feet. She shouted as it raised her back up in the air and hacked at it with her swords to no effect. Its grip held firm.

“Uranus!” Neptune shouted below. She and Pluto were back-to-back keeping back the three trolls that had surrounded them rather than continue running down the road.

Neptune’s shout caused Neville, Ginny and Luna to turn away from the one troll they were fighting and two they were guarding. Sailor Uranus was dwarfed by the troll’s giant fist as it swung her. She had her swords crossed in front of her to fight off being flattened by its other hand.

“Got it!” Ginny shouted and he looked around – her cutting curse had successfully deactivated the rune on the troll’s forehead and it was now moving much slower. Luna had already disarmed its club and without that…

Neville stealed himself, running at the creature’s ankles and jabbing his wand right into its hide as he cast a tripping jinx. The troll’s foot flew out from under it and it landed on its back with a stunned roar.

Luna raised her own wand and around them, millions of tiny ropes…or maybe roots, shot out of the ground, trapping the troll as they wrapped around its limbs, neck, and stretched over its torso.

“Sometimes lots of small things can make a big difference,” Luna said as she finished her work. The troll jerked against its bindings but they held firm, too numerous and well networked to be easily destroyed.

“Come on,” Neville said, leading them towards the five the sailors were fighting. Uranus swords were beginning to falter and Neptune and Pluto could do little more than keep the others at bay.

“Hit its head!” Uranus shouted. “I could get free if it didn’t have that…stupid, gah!” She shouted as one of her swords was torn from her grasp, and her defence against being crushed halved. She pushed her palm against the flat of her remaining blade and redoubled her efforts to keep back the troll’s other hand.

“I can’t get a shot,” Neptune panted as she and Pluto let off another round of attacks. They hit the glowing runes on two of the trolls surrounding them but it did little more than irritate their attackers.

And Uranus was losing.

“To think Ron defeated one of these in first year,” Ginny muttered.

“Well he had Harry to – Oh!” Neville turned to the two of them. Ginny too appeared to realize what he intended.

“No way!” she said. “That’s idiotic”

They heard a clatter as Uranus remaining sword hit the ground, the Sailor’s hands were now in the troll’s grip as it tried to pull her apart.

“There’s no time,” Neville said and gulped as he pointed his wand at himself. “Ascendioooo!” He screamed as he jerked into the air, his spell faltering at ten feet. He felt himself begin to plummet back down when something lifted him up. Luna and Ginny had their wands up as they kept him levitating. And then he was going higher, higher, over the heads of the trolls. He readied his wand as he approached and nodded to Ginny and Luna.

They hovered him right over the troll’s head before dropping him. He wrapped his legs around its neck as quickly as he could and scrambled to get his wand anywhere near its forehead.

It dropped Uranus feet as he successfully managed a cutting curse across the rune on its forehead. And its now clumsy free hand began to swipe at its head, trying to knock Neville off its back. He cast a shield charm just in time. The troll’s fist slammed into it, shattering the spell. He dropped from its back on the next swipe of its fist, Luna catching him with a cushioning charm.

“Worl-woah!” Uranus shouted as the troll whipped her through the air again, abeit slower than before.

“My turn,” Ginny shouted, and rushed towards the troll, grabbing one of the curved swords near its feet and stabbing it into the troll’s ankle as she ran through its legs. The creature stumbled, dropping Uranus who braced her fall on her arms and managed to grab her remaining sword.

“Space Sword BLASTER” She shouted, directing the spell at its uninjured ankle. This time when it went down it stayed.

Neptune and Pluto had managed to knock out two more of the trolls, but three still surrounded them. Their runes were glowing. Wix spells flew forth from the trident and the garnet rod as Neptune and Pluto tried to conserve their strength. It appeared their attacks had done little on their own. These trolls still moved too quickly, limbs blurrings as they swung and kicked at the sailors. And they seemed to be dodging most of their attacks, or absorbing them with little damage.

“Lift me up there!” Uranus commanded, retrieving her remaining sword from the groaning troll’s leg. Neville did the honors, getting her up in the air and into the middle of the blockade.

Space Swords Blaster took out the runes on two of the trolls, and a broom rider overhead cast a cutting curse at the remaining two. Their movements faltered. The singular troll still holding its club had it blown out of its grip by a blast from Pluto’s staff. And with them now moving at a much slower pace, the two sailors were able to run out of their blockade.

“Alright?” The rider shouted, Harry, they all realized.

“Fine,” Neptune gasped

“There’s ten more coming.” Harry said.

“Then let’s end these three,” Uranus said. “Get em close together.

“Will do!” Ginny said. “Never tried this on a troll before.” And she ran up to the closest of the three trolls, not even coming up to its knee, and raised her wand.

Without any incantation, the troll before her tossed its head back, hands grabbing at its nose. The onlookers gasped as giant, black things tore out of its nostrils, growing wings as they swarmed around the troll and, when Ginny whipped her wand to the side, around to circle the remaining two. Ginny kept her wand on them as no fewer than twenty giant bats emerged from the troll’s nose and created a small whirl wind around them, pushing the things together until they were pressed shoulder to shoulder.

“Good enough?” Ginny shouted, wand hand shaking but her spell holding firm.

Uranus looked at her companions as she stowed her swords. “Let’s dust’em” She raised one hand high above her head. “Uranus World SHAKING!”

“Deep SUMBERGE”

“Dead Scream.”

The Hogwarts students gaped as three planetoid spheres of Energy raced past Ginny and converged into one, giant, orb. The bat bogeys evaporated as it raced past them and engulfed the trolls, the resulting flash so bright it left spots in the students’ eyes.

When the explosion cleared, They gasped. The three trolls were little more than piles of dust in the road.

“That was awesome!” Ginny said, whipping around look at the three Sailors.

But they weren’t smiling.

“Something isn’t right,” Neptune murmered, turning her trident to look into the mirror that made up the base of the blade. “These are meant to be Death Buster monsters.”

“But none of them were stealing heart crystals.” Uranus said.

“They’re not dying like them either,” Pluto pointed out. And it was true, in every death buster battle they’d encountered before, some seed had always emerged from the remains of the monster upon being killed.

But as they watched the remains of the three trolls, all that remained was dust.

“The foreign energy on them is Wix,” Neptune realized as she gazing into the mirror. “These... never encountered Death Buster magic.”

“What’s a Death Buster?” Harry asked, flying low, eyes towards the trees that were toppling over under the clubs and fists of the approaching reinforcements. They weren’t trying to get to Hogwarts, he realized as the falling trees changed direction. In fact it looked like they meant to block the road.

“An enemy of ours,” Pluto explained “Voldemort’s follower brought something of theirs back from Japan.”

 _Wormtail_ , Harry said, recalling his dream. Yes, Wormtail was supposed to have done something important to do with this attack but what…

“There’s another attack,” Harry said. “Got to be – why else would they put so many on the other side of the village?”

“To distract us,” Uranus swore. “They knew we’d be in Hogsmeade along with the students.”

“I’ll warn Hotaru…” Neptune said, but even as she spoke her voice trailed off and she froze, grip on the trident tightening. When she looked up from the mirror her eyes were wide. “She’s not answering.” Neptune said. “I think she’s in the forest.”

Uranus swore, Pluto raised the Garnet Rod. The Time Doors appeared behind them.

“This can get us to the edge of the trees,” she said. “there’s too much magic in that forest to land it with any accuracy.”

“I can find her,” Neptune assured her.

And then the three sailors racing through the doors, which closed behind them and disappeared in a blink.

Just as the doors disappeared, a column of black energy rose above the forbidden forest, then another, and another, stretching up above the cloudy sky before flickering out.

“They wont get there fast enough on foot.” Harry muttered.

“Go,” Ginny said. She nodded to Neville and Luna. “We’ve got this.”

“The others are done with their fighting,” Harry said. “They can help with new trolls.” And then he was soaring up into the air, heading towards the trees as still more black lights split the sky over the canopy.

They watched him race onwards only a moment longer before turning back to the road, around the bend, they could see the heads of ten trolls standing like a security detail between them and the village.

“How’s three on ten sound?” Ginny joked.

“Like a sufficient challenge.” Luna said.

Neville looked at his wand. He felt more like the Auror his dad had been than ever in his life. “Let’s make sure the others have stayed down,” he said. “And then let’s sneak up on them through the trees.”

“We could cast a tripping jinx across the road in front and behind them!” Luna said.

“I could try the bogey spell again,” Ginny said. “We’ve gotta end this quickly.” She worried. “That black energy doesn’t look good.”

~ _SMH_ ~

“Where’s he think he’s going,” Hagrid whispered as he pushed aside yet another branch for McGonagall and Hooch. They’d been up on the clocktower when they’d seen them – a huge group of the first and second years out enjoying the spring sunshine had suddenly stood and walked into the woods. By the time the two of them had made it down to the grounds the kids were gone and Hagrid was holding back little Dennis Creevey by the scruff of his robes. Minerva’d briefly considered stunning him when she saw, across the grounds, still more students disappearing into the woods.

“What’s gotten into them,” Hooch had muttered. Something certainly had. Dennis pupils had been so wide they nearly swallowed his blue irises, and his limbs kept moving as if to walk into the forest as though Hagrid weren’t nearly holding him up in the air.

“Let him go,” Minerva’d decided. “We’re going to follow them.”

And so here they were, stepping over dead leaves and animal muck as they followed about 20 paces behind Dennis (the boy was fast). They were already well past the acromantulas territory, and apparently had just passed whatever thing Hagrid was keeping in the woods that Minerva insisted she not be told about lest she oppose it. And they were swiftly coming up on the borders of the centaurs land. If they had anything to do with half her students suddenly wandering off, she was going to have them driven out, Minerva decided.

“He’s slowing down,” Hooch said, and they ducked behind the trees – or, well, Hagrid tried. Minerva peered around the trunk and frowned.

There was a bird in front of Dennis but one unlike any she’d ever seen in the woods. It was the same green as the trees, with streaks across it’s feathers that could have easily camouflaged it into the trunks. It had the girth and long neck of an ostrich and a wide beak with a very sharp point. Clawed feet dug into the felled tree trunk it stood on as it examined Dennis Creevey with strange pink eyes.

“Oh my,” Hagrid said. “Why I haven’t heard ah’ any of these outside Germany in years.”

“You know this think Hagrid?” Minerva whispered.

“Aye, that’s an Erkling that is,”

 _Erkling_ the name was a little familiar. Something she’d heard long ago. Beside her Hooch gasped.

“But they _eat_ children,” she said, rushing out from behind the tree with Minerva hot in persuit, wand drawn.

And then the bird screeched, and a black star appeared on its chest, another larger one grew in a shadow around Dennis. And then it shot up towards the sky as a column of black energy. Dennis stiffened. Something bright pink tore free of his chest and he collapsed to the forest floor.

“They ain’t a’pose ta do that…” Hagrid muttered.

And the three of them gasped as the black energy faded, and the pink crystal-object that had come out of dennis floated in the air before the Erkling snapped out its neck and swallowed it, screeching again and directing its attention towards the professors.

McGonagall sent a stunner at it. But the bird leapt into the air with an indignant squawk. She, Hooch, and Hagrid rushed to Dennis, Hooch kneeling and putting her fingers to the boy’s wrist, then his throat.

“He doesn’t have a pulse!” Hooch worried. “What in Merlin’s name was that.”

“About to find out,” Minerva said eyes on the creature as it circled above them. She shot off another stunner to no effect. But the beast did retaliate. It shrieked and feathers launched off the tips of its wings, flashing like knives as they fell towards the professors.

Minerva transfigured the first half into rocks that hit the second half in mid air. The stones exploded, shards raining down on them.

As she shielded her face she heard the approach of still more birds, shrieking and rustling as they flew out of the trees and ran out of the brush, all of them forming a line between them and the direction Dennis had headed.

Behind them, more black columns of energy shot up into the air and disappeared.

“Hagrid,” Minerva snapped. “What are these things weak too?”

“Fire,” Hagrid said.

She had conjured the fire-bird without much thought, feeding it with the dead leaves and twigs along the forest floor. She directed it up into the air and it unfurled its wings.

The Erklings screeched. Something bright orange shot out of their throats, extinguishing the fire bird as it rained down on them. Hagrid opened the pink parasol over their heads and Minerva watched the orange rain stick to it as heavy goop. She jumped back as it hit the toe of her boot and found that when she put her foot down, the orange mess slid over the toe and onto the forest floor, sticking like glue.

“They’re not meant to do that either,” Hagrid worried.

“I’d gathered that,” Minerva said Throwing up a hasty shield as the Erklings spit more orange rain down towards them. Through the trees, she could see more columns of black energy overtaking the sky.

_What the hell is going on?_

~ _SMH_ ~

The energy columns continued occurring at a regular pace as Harry Potter raced towards them as fast as the old clean sweep would go. Which wasn’t very fast, he thought as he urged it onwards over the Forbidden forest. He ached to have his Firebolt back.

At last he pulled the broom up short as yet another column of energy shot up in front of him. He eased the broom down between the trees to get a better look.

Beneath the high branches of the thick trees was a clearing, full of what Harry at first thought were piles of orange robes until he spotted a few moving and realized in one sickening moment they were bodies – students covered in some sticky orange mess. They were all first and second years.

And he saw, one such student held aloft in the air in a flickering column of black energy, something pink emerging from their chest. The energy faded abruptly and the student collapsed, the pink thing (crystal?) getting snapped up in the jaws of a giant, green bird.

He already had his wand in hand when the bird began to sing. His vision blurred and he shook his head. _Erklings_ he recalled from a previous defense class. He’d been able to shake off their visions during the class encounter, but this – he was nearly lost in the smell of the grass that surrounded the Burrow – this was more powerful.

The appearance of yet another energy column broke the vision’s hold on him and he looked down. His heart pounding in his ears.

He watched as this column too faded, another crystal being gobbled up in the bird’s jaws as it approached a large group of students slumped over on the ground. Harry stiffened, recognizing Hotaru’s face in the group just as the bird sang again. Harry covered his ears this time, watching as the shadow of a black star appeared below Hotaru. The black energy shot up in the air around her and she seized, yet another bright, pink crystal jerking free of her chest. He thought he saw her reach for it before her arms went limp, and so did the rest of her, collapsing to the ground as the black energy faded and the bird advanced, neck outstretched.

Harry dove straight down, leaning over the front of the broom with his right hand stretched forwards. He caught closed his fingers around the crystal just before the Erkling’s jaws could snap shut around it and pulled the broom up hard.

It bucked. And he flew into the air, tumbling. He pulled the crystal close to his chest as he hit the ground on his back, the wind knocked out of him.

He rolled over, checking the warm crystal was intact and felt something cool and heavy splash against his legs, He glanced back. The Erkling had shot a mess of orange goop at him and, he grunted as he crawled forwards, it held fast to his legs. He could see more of it in the bird’s throat and raised his wand.

“ _Waddiwasi,_ ” He shouted. The goop stopped short as it emerged from the Erkling’s throat and raced back, the Erkling squawking as it choked on it.

Harry looked away. Hotaru was lying unconscious just a meter or so from him. He rolled onto his stomach with some effort, the orange goo still restricting his movements. He could hear the Erkling squawking as he dragged himself forward on his elbows. And collapsed. He was well and truly stuck.

Hotaru’s lips were turning blue.

Harry pointed his wand at the crystal in his palm and levitated it out in front of him, trying to ignore the rustling that sounded like more Erklings entering the clearing. He held his breath as the crystal reached Hotaru and hovered it over her chest before releasing the spell.

He breathed a sigh of relief as it sank into her chest. The color returned to her face and she gasped, attempting to sit up only to be stuck fast in the orange goo.

“Harry!” Hotaru said, looking around and taking in the bodies of the other students around them, and those across the clearing who were all much paler and, Harry guessed, not breathing.

“Death Busters,” Hotaru murmured. And he was about to ask if she meant Death Eaters when the singing started again.

“Ears!” He shouted, and saw her cover them as his own vision swam, there was the smell of the summer sun on the fields again, he could feel the goffer squirming in his hand as he pulled his arm back to chuck it – just two meters further and he’d beat the twins…

“Harry!” Hotaru’s shout broke the illusion and he cast a stinging hex on himself, further shocking him back into the present.

She was gritting her teeth, the glaive in one hand. She put the butt of it on the ground and pulled herself with some effort out of the goop. As a the Erklings launched into a fresh bout of song Her eyes grew wide, off in some distant place.

He cast a stinging hex at her too as the round of singing ended. She shrieked, but she was back, her eyes glaring at the beasts.

He looked back at them: there were five in the clearing with them now. One still coughing up the goop Harry had sent down its throat and four more conjuring their own.

“Try this!” he shouted. “ _Waddiwasi_!”

“ _Waddiwasi_!” It worked. Two of the Erklings stumbled back, their voices blocked. The final two dodged the their return fire. As they opened their throats again, Harry saw Hotaru reach into her pocket, taking out a strange purple wand with a planet capping the end.

“Hang on!” she shouted, holding it high in the air. “Saturn Eternal Make-UP!”

White light erupted around her and he shielded his eyes, hearing the birds too squawk.

When it faded a moment later he gaped. There was Hotaru, though she appeared taller, a bit older, and certainly angrier. She had the Glaive poised in an attack position and glared at the Erklings with eyes so cold they might have frozen the beasts.

“I thought I had defeated you,” she said. “But you have the nerve to follow me here – my own personal daimons.” She lifted the Glaive over her head. “And now you’re targeting innocent children – I won’t stand for it. Cease!” She commanded. “Or in the name of Saturn I will destroy you,” she whispered.

Harry shivered. He wanted to protest being lumped in with the children when three of the birds choked, finally freeing the goop from their throats. Their singing was angry, notes dragging him abruptly back into the visions of the burrow. He could smell Mrs. Weasley’s cooking.

“Focus, Harry” The new Hotaru said. He fought the vision, catching her speech to the Erklings.

“You think you can tempt me in this form,” she smirked. But Harry could see her jaw clenched even as she tried to taunt them. She blinked rapidly, struggling to throw off the Erklings’ effects. “My spirit’s…seen the beginning of this world just as it has seen it end.” She said as if coaching herself. “A I saw it begin again too. I am hardly a child.” She twirled the Glaive in her hands. “I won’t let you get to me.” And then the glaive began to glow purple. “ _Silence Glaive SURPRISE!”_

Harry gaped as sphere of purple energy formed from the tip of the glaive, spinning and spinning, gathering air and dust around it like rings, before soaring over his head and knocking into four of the five Erklings – the fifth barely diving out of the way. The four exploded, crystals shining in the air above the piles of ash that used to be the birds.

“Go home,” Hotaru whispered, raising a white-gloved hand – which glowed as it did when she healed. She closed her eyes. “Go home.”

Harry watched the crystals drift across the clearing as the remaining Erkling screeched and gave chase, trying to catch them in its mouth. But they’d already reached the limp bodies beneath the trees and were already returning to the students chests.

He saw something orange flash through the trees, and something blue, and then red.

“Help’s coming,” Hotaru said. Then jerked her head around as more rustling made itself known overhead.

A flock of twenty creatures blocked the sun overhead as they sang, songs creating tantalizing Harmonies.

“ _Silence Wall!”_

~ _SMH_ ~

The professors saw the flash of white between the trees and then the sizzle of energy as something black and purple bloomed to life beyond the trees. But they couldn’t dwell on it, focusing instead on sending another round of spells towards the Erklings. The arrows broke right through protego and their orange spit had neutralized every fire spell she’d thrown at them. They were holding their ground, Minerva thought, but they needed to move forwards.

_“World SHAKING!”_

_“Deep SUMBERGE!”_

_“Dead SCREAM!”_

The professors gaped as the planetoid energy spheres crashed through the trees, knocking several to the ground and sailing up into the flock of Erklings, turning four of them to dust and, Minerva gasped, leaving crystals like the one that had been torn out of Dennis behind. Three figures leapt out of the trees, gathering up the collection of Crystals before landing lightly on the ground with nary a smudge on their white boots.

“Definitely Death Busters,” One in short, dark blue and white robes murmured. And Minerva could recognize the glamour spell from the way her appearance seemed to shimmer, keeping her from identifying any real features or, it seemed, voice.

The birds overhead screeched, orange goo shooting from their throats.

“ _Submarine REFLECTION!”_ one in similar turquoise robes said as she raised a trident above her head. Something on the weapon flashed and a tidal wave of water gushed forth, crashing into the orange attack and neutralizing it before carrying on towards the beasts who dove out of the way, soaring over to large fallen tree that blocked their route to the children.

“What are these things?” Minerva asked the three new comers.

“Heart-snatchers, put simply.” One in black robes said as she juggled the glimmering pink crystals in her arms. The other two each held a handful as well. A weapon – a sword and a trident – in their other hands.

“Saturn’s there,” The trident bearer said, pointing her weapon past the birds who had just launched a fresh round of feathers at them. As Minerva and Hooch blocked them, the birds screeched.

“I’ve had enough of this,” the sword wielder said, “Space Sword –”

“STOP!” The black clad one said. Pointing a strangly familiar looking staff at the log. “Look”

Minerva saw the tops of their heads as the clambered past the birds, standing in lines in front of and atop the log, all with their wands drawn. Dennis body rose up to join them, his lips blue and his eyes vacant as he pointed his wand at them.

“ _Petrificus Totales!”_ he shouted as the other first and second years launched similar spells. Minerva, Hooch, and one of the newcomers had Protego up in a second, but the spells kept coming, and the birds disappeared over the log, screeching as they went.

“We can’t attack children,” the sword wielder cursed, shooting a stunner off the end of her weapon. It hit one Hufflepuff girl in the chest but she barely flinched, her body continuing to fire spells.

“Their basically unconscious already,” the black-clad one said.

“ _Petrificus?”_

 _“_ Same problem, I should think,” Hooch said launching a leg locker at the children. One Ravenclaw boy toppled into the dirt, and struggled to right his arms. He continued firing.

And as he did, a child atop the log hopped down to take his spot in front of it, and another appeared from behind it, refilling the line.

“We’ve got to get through!” the sword wielder said and charged, only to be hit by three stunners. She stumbled, tripped, a Protego barely saving her from another volley of spells.

“We’re too easy to hit.” The black clad one said as the sword wielder charged again. Through the trees, They saw the black and purple energy flicker.

“SATURN!” The sword wielder said again, this time blocking the spells thrown at her with the flat of her sword. She made it to the log and nearly got over the top when a leg locker caused her to fall to her back. And in the precious time it took her to cancel the spell, the children had closed the gap in their ranks.

But they were still children, with clumsy aim, Minerva realized. If they were small enough…

“Hagrid,” she said to him, “Rolanda,” she nodded to the two warriors still firing spells beside them. “The two of you,” she said. “I need you to cover me.”

“Say the word,” the black-clad one said as the two strange witches closed ranks in front of her.

“ _Now!”_

~ _SMH_ ~

Harry panted as he let the Protego flicker out, exhausted from blocking yet another round of spells from the students as Hotaru’s shield blocked both the Erklings attacks and their singing.

But though her stance was steady, he could see her arms shaking, her jaw clenched tight.

And the over twenty birds encircling them were slowly wearing her down. Between those on the ground and those in the air Hotaru’s shield was taking damage from all sides. She’d said she could hold it for a while.

Harry was starting to wonder if they were going to find out how long “a while” was.

More orange goo slammed into Hotaru’s shield and burnt up as pungent orange smoke.

“They won’t get us,” She said voice strained. A round of razor-sharp feathers pierced into the shield. Some nearly breaking through as they fizzled and burnt to ash.

“I faced your creator and won,” she glared at them, sweat trickling down her face. “You’re not going to beat me.

The Erklings traded glances and Harry threw up another shield as the students who fired at them under the beasts enchantment let off another volley of spells. They hit his shield and died out.

Then he saw the flock of beasts mouths open again, and though the singing couldn’t reach him, it clearly effected the students outside. They dropped their wands into the grass and began to walk forward.

“Stop!” Hotaru shouted. “Stop, wake up!” She glanced around frantically. The students had fanned out in a line around her shield and were all, as one, walking towards it. She glared at the closest Erkling. “Release them!”

The bird tilted its head at her and opened its beak, presumably still singing. The students all around continued advancing on Hotaru’s shield. Harry held his breath as they came within arms reach of the black and purple lighting. Several held out their hands to touch it, vacant eyes and blue faces not reacting at all to the live electricity about to shock them.

“I’m sorry,” Hotaru gasped and lowered the glaive, the shield suddenly dropping.

And so did the students, collapsing heavily into the dirt. All around them the Erkings opened their mouths and Harry heard their song once more.

“ _SILENCE GLAIVE SUR –”_ Hotaru nearly got the spell cast but her eyes glazed over, she lowered her arm and fell to her knees, her glaive slipping out of her limp fingers and onto the ground.

And Harry wasn’t much better, his hands on his ears barely blocking the sound.

“Wake up!” He shouted at her, watching the Erklings approach, closing in on them in a circle.

He saw a bright flash of spellfire through the trees and then something small, brown, and tan somersault through the trees. The tabby cat landed in front of he and Hotaru and transformed into the imposing, Emerald-clad form of Professor Mcgonagall, who glanced all around at the birds and pointed her wand towards the ground.

“ _Dunsinane!”_ She whispered. The ground began to rumble.

Thick, dark roots lifted out of the ground all around them as the trees swayed forwards, their freed limbs grasping the Erklings up in their clutches and choking off their voices. Hotaru gasped and shook her head, her eyes returning to their normal, vivid, glare.

“ _SATURN_!” He heard someone shout and turned around, there were Haruka and Michiru and a third person sprinting past the collapsed bodies of several children with Hooch and Hagrid in fast persuit. The three Sailors ran past the trapped Erklings to join he, Hotaru, and Mcgonagall in the center of the circle.

“Let’s finish this,” the woman he didn’t recognize declared. Was she glamoured? She raised a staff he felt sure he should recognize.

“ _Dead SCREAM!_ ”

“ _World SHAKING!”_

_“Deep SUBMERGE!”_

_“Silence Glaive SURPRISE!”_ Hotaru shouted last and Harry gaped as four planetoid spheres of energy gathered in their hands and weapons before spinning into the trapped creatures, all of them taking out a fourth of the circle. Leaving behind piles of ash and shimmering pink crystals. Hotaru ( _Saturn?_ ) raised her hand and it glowed purple again, the crystals around them and in the arms of the other Sailors rose up, flying back to their rightful places in the students chests.

Harry looked down at his legs and saw the orange goo dissolving. He lifted his legs free and finally stood up, watching as Haruka leaned down and scooped Hotaru up in her arms, Hotaru vanishing her glaive as she laughed and wrapped her arms and legs around Haruka. Michiru and the third Sailor joined in their embrace. ( _It must be Setsuna_ , Harry decided as he finally placed the long, green hair).

“I’msorry!” Hotaru said in a rush. “I didn’t have your back – I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Well this is hardly something we expected you to handle alone,” Setsuna told her. “We’re meant to have your back too, Little One.”

Watching them, Harry felt a lump growing in his throat and swallowed it, looking away from the tender embrace. He found himself thinking of Sirius and Remus, and Molly Weasley, and even his own parents. But he stopped himself at that point, glancing around for a distraction.

He found one in the other professors. Hagrid, Hooch, and Mcgonagall were staring all around the clearing as students stirred, and at the ash piles that had once been dark creatures. And more than the others, Mcgonagall was staring at the four Sailors, frowning as she tilted her head to the side.

“Who are you?” she finally asked. And Harry frowned before realizing they all had a glamour in place now. Maybe since he’d seen them before it was easier for him to see…

“It’s not important right now,” Setsuna said to Mcgonagall. “Thank you,” she turned to the others as Haruka set Hotaru on the ground. “We should go check on the troll situation.” And they all nodded. She waved her hand around the clearing.

“They’ll all be awake soon,” she told the three professors and Harry. “I trust you can get them safely back to the Castle.” And with that the four of them leapt up into the air, higher than any normal human should have, Harry thought. They disappeared into the canopy.

“Potter!” Mcgonagall said. “What are you doing here?”

“Er,” Harry grinned. “Just out for a stroll.”

Hooch snorted. “You’ll need to do better than that boy.” Then she frowned. “Did I hear something about trolls?”

“Professor?” a Ravenclaw first year said as she sat up, holding her head. She gasped and looked all around. “We’re in the forest!”

“It’s alright, Babbage.” Mcgonagall said. “Help me wake up your friends – we’ll get you all back to the castle.”

“I swear I didn’t come here – oh am I going to get detention?”

“No,” Mcgonagall said. “But I’m sure we could arrange for some hot chocolate and tea.”

“And Firewhiskey,” Hooch added.

~ _SMH_ ~

Sunday was blessedly quiet after the excitement of Saturday, and Mcgonagall was more grateful than she’d ever been for Monday morning, finally the normalcy of the routine to distance her from the strangeness of Saturday.

She should have counted on her students giving her no such reprieve. Talk of the Erkling attack came up in every. Single. One. Of her classes that day. And dominated the discussions at every meal. There was even talk of a veritable troll army having descended on Hogsmeade.

“I swear there were non left,” Dumbledore said, “I went to check as soon as Rosemerta alerted me of the problem, but they were all gone – save for several trollings roaming around the square.

“Why would they bring the young to a battle.” Flitwick pondered.

“Indeed,” Dumbledore nodded. “It is most curious.” He looked around at his professors. Snape was frowning into his fourth coffee of the day. Umbridge was steadfastly pretending the lunch conversations weren’t happening. “It should also be noted that apart from a few piles of burnt remains – surely the adult trolls – there were also whole garments left behind – the same amount as would have fit the trollings had they been grown.”

“You’re not suggesting they were de-aged.” Sprout frowned.

“Such magic is possible,” Dumbledore pointed out.

“Not from students,” Snape snapped. He’d been part of the group tasked with cleaning up the mess in Hogsmeade. Minerva couldn’t see why he was complaining. She’d have gladly traded rather than deal with the dozens of first and second years whom, she was sure, would be having nightmares for weeks.

Something else had been bothering her as well, of the many students found under the Erklings spells, not one had been a Slytherin. And not one, she’d confirmed later, had been a pureblood.

Which led her to quite a few conclusions she wished she didn’t have to dwell on. But she did, all of Monday as the conversations of the students and faculty forced her to relive over and over, the events of Saturday.

She had barely got to her office after dinner and sat down than a knock sounded on the door. Three sharp raps. She knew the knock well by now.

“Miss. Kaioh,” she said, floating the book they were working out of off its shelf. “You’re early.”

“I am,”

“Does that mean you’ve narrowed down your form?” she asked, flipping the book open to the illustrations of the class of animals Michiru had narrowed her search to after their last session.

"I have - it's interesting to say the least," Michiru said. “And do you have a question for me?”

"I do," Mcgonagall steepled her fingers "I was going to ask how in the world Professor Meioh’s doors work as they do but in light of the weekend.” She gazed seriously at Michiru who nodded, seeming to anticipate the line of questioning. “Do you know anything about what was done to the Erklings in the woods. Or who the witches were that aided is… Or the events in Hogsmeade, for that matter?" She rubbed a hand over her face. “Because I keep going over all the variables – and there are many – and the only other thing I have as many questions about is you. So in theory,” she said, looking up at Michiru again. “You should know something.”

Michiru nodded "I do." she sighed, and clasped her hands together. She stared at them for several moments, running her thumb across her knuckles. Finally, she looked up at Mcgonagall "I wanted to thank you – for saving Hotaru."

Mcgonagall frowned. "I didn’t see her."

"Which just means our glamour was successful," Michiru said. "But…I have been thinking. Even at home there were people to help us keep our secrets. Luna and Artemis in no small part," she said. "It would be valuable to have someone who knows this world better than we do. And I know I keep talking about trust, what I failed to mention was that I am not good at it." and Mcgonagall raised her eyebrows as Michiru put what appeared to be a short, highly decorative wand down on the desk. Her eyes zeroed in on the symbol.

"Neptune."

"You know your astronomy," Michiru observed.

"The witches in the woods called themselves after planets…" Mcgonagall trailed off glancing between Michiru and the henshin wand. “The one with the Trident, that was you.”

Michiru nodded.

"Yes, well," Mcgonagall adjusted her glasses. "That makes perfect sense."

"Consider this a leap of faith," Michiru said "I don’t take them very often.”

"I never presumed you did," Mcgonagall said. "For what its worth, just because I don’t like secrets doesn’t mean I can’t keep them.” She breathed a heavy sigh. “And Erklings?”

“Had been enhanced by a technology of one of our old enemies. Defeated,” Michiru said. “But Setsuna will have to pay the Japanese ministry a visit to see what else of our enemies they’ve preserved there. One of your Voldemort’s followers was able to steal the technology that made those Erklings so dangerous.”

“It is still weird that you say his name so casually,” Minerva muttered.

“Why?”

She began to answer and found she didn’t have one, not one that didn’t remind her of all the times Albus had insisted they call the Voldemort by name. She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter,” and she turned the book towards Michiru, pointing to the illustrations. "We had the general form last time and I did some research" she said, flipping open to a list of creatures and illustrations "If you’re able to specify…"

"That one," Michiru said after scanning a few pages.

“Right,” Minerva said. “Then your task now is to study up on its anatomy – as indepth as you can. And remember the incantation we practiced for the first few times you try the self transfiguration – _do not_ start with the head. Many a wizard has ended up with a literal bird brain for trying that first…”

~ _SMH_ ~

They were coming back from lunch and Muggle Studies when they heard the laughter and jeers in the dungeon hallway, Avery frowned.

"Not this again," she muttered. As she, Haruka, and Michiru made their way towards the disturbance.

"And 50 points," the platinum blond boy drawled, four other Slytherin boys around him and all with the gleaming badges of the newly-formed Inquisitor’s Squad on their robes. "For daring to use my idea"

"It's my idea!" the Hufflepuff boy shouted. "Just cause you want the better grade!"

"Or 100 points,"

The Hufflepuff gulped, but squared his shoulders "Go ahead then - and I'll tell Professor Sprout…and Mcgonagall."

"And I'll tell the High Inquisitor a muggleborn is stealing my ideas," Draco said. "Who's she gonna believe?"

The Hufflepuff boy's shoulders slumped, but he didn’t hand over his parchment.

"Oi!" Avery said, storming up to them "Just cause you’re an Inquistors-pet doesn’t mean you can cheat Malfoy," she glared at he and the others. "Sprout will just give him 200 points back."

"And who asked you," Malfoy said as the other fifth year boys chuckled. "In fact, I might have to dock points from you too Avery, for studying Muggles."

"Just because you think it's dull doesn’t make it un-useful," Avery said. "And I don’t turn my nose up at an easy O."

"Or an easy lay," Malfoy smirked. "I'd dock you points for Weasley too, but that'd easily put us in last place."

"Watch it, kid," Haruka warned, wand drawn.

"Oh, getting defensive are we," Malfoy chortled, bolstered by the presence of his four fellows using their own wands to back his words. "Don’t tell me she swings your way too? Or are you so desperate, Avery, you'll screw the whole Muggle Studies class?"

"Sounds more like you're jealousy than my desperation," Avery fired back though her face was red, bolstered when she saw the Hufflepuff had managed to sneak away from the gang. "What's the matter - Pansy reject you again?"

"N-no – shut up, Crabbe," Malfoy said as he glared at his snickering friend. "Anyways, I guess I could overlook your activities. Warrington talks you know," he leered. "Says it's a shame such a pretty face is such a dull fuck."

"As if Warrington would know," the Hufflepuff had successfully disappeared around a corner and Avery went to push past Malfoy only for the Slytherin boys to close ranks, blocking her path towards the common room "Move," she glared.

"You really ought to listen to her," Michiru warned.

"Cause I ran out of patience as soon as I saw you," Haruka said. Of all the Slytherins, Malfoy was the one she found annoyed her the most. Celeste Macnair coming in close second.

“You know, I don’t think I will,” Malfoy said, drawing his own wand. “Pity I’d be docking points from my own house – the three of you could stand to be taken down a peg. You’ve got to know though,” he said, as they all readied their wands to cast. “You’re not welcome in Sly –” His mouth suddenly slammed shut, his limbs and legs locking together as he fell, face first to the floor.

“ _EXPELLIARMUS!”_ Haruka, Michiru, and Avery shouted in unison. Three of the boys wands tore free of their grasp. The fourth, Goyle, looked around at his friends and at Malfoy and fled, running in the direction of the Entrance Hall.

“Probably going to tattle to Umbridge.” Haruka said, before directing her glare down at Malfoy. “Git,”

“And Rude,” Michiru said.

“It’s nothing I haven’t heard before,” Avery said.

“Did you really date Warrington?” Michiru asked, levitating Malfoy onto the ceiling. His eyes glared at them as Haruka fixed him there with a sticking charm.

“My mother would say he courted me,” Avery said, looking on with interest as Michiru vanished Malfoy’s robes and left him stuck to the ceiling in his underwear. “I was 14 it was a tiresome experience.” She turned her own wand on Malfoy “I don’t fancy getting detention from the likes of you,” she said. “ _Obliviate_ ,” and they saw his eyes glaze over before rolling back in his head.

“What’s that one do?” Haruka asked.

“He’ll forget the last half hour or so,” Avery said, stowing her wand.

“Perfect,” and Michiru raised her wand again, the impressions of bright, pink, lipstick appeared all over Malfoy’s face and torso. “Just to confuse him a bit.”

Avery chuckled as they continued down the corridor. “Hope Creevey comes by with that camera.”

“That can be arranged,” Michiru smirked.

Haruka glanced back at the git on the ceiling and chuckled. “I love you when you’re ruthless.”

“Well now I feel a bit short-changed,” Michiru said, linking her hand with Haruka’s. “I love you all the time.

~ _SMH_ ~

That week, it took fifteen minutes and 20 collective points off before Setsuna could get her 4th year Divination students to pay attention. She understood why once she’d gotten a look at the picture Collin Creevey had been passing around.

“Rei just told me it’d be a good idea to go photograph the Slytherin dungeon,” Collin chuckled as he handed her the photo. “They just found him like that.”

“Either he and Pansy are into some weird stuff,” one of the Hufflepuffs giggled. “Or he pissed off some girl real bad.”

“Yes well – I’ll give this back at the end of class,” she told Collin. “Now all of you – if you could please focus on palmistry.”

She was only too grateful to be done with lessons that week, spending more time than she really should have behind the doors after classes and over the weekend.

It was still so vague, the events of the next week. But she was sure of the timeline at least. Wednesday, would be her earliest, possible chance to acquire Jadeite’s sword. Her deliberate antagonization of the defence professor had made it nearly a sure thing.

She still for the life of her could not see how the two related. _How_ she wound up alone in the Headmaster’s office long enough to grab the sword.

But by Sunday morning she had determined that she would be there with Umbridge, and at least two others. And she knew with absolute certainty it was, somehow, a dangerous situation.

But it would get her the sword. So she would do it. For Usagi and Endymion. And the future. If it was necessary for the future she would do it.

Afterall, she’d rather it be her than any of her friends.

She was distracted in class all of Monday and all of Tuesday and all of Wednesday leading up to her evening rounds. The hours ticked past to the time she would have access to the sword at last and they would be a significant step closer to finding and awakening the Prince.

~ _SMH_ ~

As Easter fell at the end of March that year, this would be their last D.A. session before the Holiday. And, Harry’d decided, it’d be as good a day as any for a review of all they had studied. He grinned as Neville’s now fuly corporeal rabbit patronus raced Ginny’s horse around the room. It was, all things considered, coming along rather well.

Until, that is, the door swung open in the middle of their meeting, a thick cloud of pitch black smoke flooding into the room. He heard spells flying within the smoke and the stampeding feet of frantic students racing from the room.

“It could be more Death Buster monsters!” He heard Minako shout.

“Everyone!” Usagi’s voice pierced through the darkness as he saw something bright white and pink begin to glow. “Transform!”

~ _SMH_ ~

Setsuna’d seen it coming. Had paced out the walk through this hallway enough times that, though this was the real-time occurrence of the event, it still felt like de-ja vu when the stunner hit her in the back. She stumbled. Then the second hit her, and the third.

She didn’t feel the fourth. She was already down.

“ _Accio Key Thing_!” a boy’s voice shouted in the dark corridor. Nothing happened.

“You imbecile!” another boy snapped. “ _Accio Rod!_ ” Still, nothing happened.

“Oh for Merlin’s sake, Warrington!” a girl muttered, and walked up to the Garnet Rod, prying it from the professor’s stiff hand. “She’s obviously got it protected from summoning even if you did know what it was called.”

“Whatever,” Warrington said, “ _Levicorpus_ ,” and the Muggle Studies professor’s limp body floated up into the air. “Think Umbridge will let us escort her off the grounds?” he asked. “I could get invited to the inner circle if I handed her over.”

“And when Umbridge and the Minister wondered where Azkaban’s newest resident had gone, you’d be first on their list,” Celeste Macnair retorted. “Let’s just get her to the Headmaster’s office.”

~ _SMH_ ~

The pitch darkness had been pierced by three Aqua Rhapsodies, two Oak Evolutions, and one World Shaking before the return spell-fire ceased, and someone across the darkness shouted “Run!”

“Oh no you don’t!” Venus shouted. “ _Love Chain ENCIRCLE!_ ”

The whip disappeared into the dark cloud, tensing as it snared its targets. The same person shouted. “Unhand me!”

“Malfoy?” Harry frowned, and he and the Sailors advanced forwards through the crowd, emerging, along with the remaining D.A. members, into the brightened corridor.

Malfoy was on his side, on the ground, ensnared in the whip along with six other Slytherins, all with Inquisitor Squad pins on their robes.

“The Headmistress is going to hear about this!” he whined.

“Oh not running to Daddy for once,” Harry snapped. “What’d you mean Headmistress?”

“Dumbledore’s on his way out.” Draco grinned. “And so’s your little club!”

“Someone must have snitched,” Hermione muttered, conjuring up the parchment of names. “The spell’s been activated.”

“Not so loyal to you now are they, Potter?” Draco gasped. “Let me go!” He told Venus. “And who are you?”

“Looks like your glamour spell worked on the henshin wands.” The blond in the orange skirt said to one of her companions. “And no, I don’t think I’ll be letting you go any time soon.”

“Well whoever you are – you’ll get detention for this,” Draco coughed, struggling against the whip. “And…and 100 points from your house!”

“Funny,” Venus said. “I’m not the one who crashed a secret defence meeting and disguised his identity. She retracted the whip and Draco had time to sigh before six stunners converged on he and his companions. And then though she didn’t speak Malfoy felt the sticking charm, affix he and the others to the floor as blond withdrew the whip.

“I hope none of them are badly injured,” Mercury said, looking back into the smoke-filled room.

“Don’t really care,” Uranus said. “Except this will be hell to explain.”

“Everyone,” Hermione said. “You should go back to your dorms.” She raised her wand and stunned another Slytherin as she tried to crawl out of the Room of Requirement. “They can’t punish you if you’re not here.” She sighed. “We’ll let you know if we can continue after Easter.”

“We should go too,” Venus told the scouts.

“Well we need to make sure the Inquisitor Squad’s alright,” Sailor Moon said.

“Aqua Rhapsody hit at least one at close range,” Mercury said. “They’ll need the Hospital wing.”

The rest of the scouts nodded. “We’d still have to find them in this,” Neptune frowned, rubbing her hands over her temples.

“Alright?” Uranus whispered.

“Headache,” she said.

“I have one too,” Saturn said.

“And I do too,” Mars said through gritted teeth.

The three psychics met eyes.

“Where’s it coming from,” Saturn whispered.

“Or who!” Neptune realized, looking at Uranus. “Pluto might be in trouble.”

“Go look for her,” Venus ordered. “We’ll handle things here.”

“I’m going with you!” Sailor Moon said, nodding to the inner scouts. “Get the Slytherins to the Hospital Wing.” And with that she was racing down the corridor and the closest staircase with Uranus and Neptune in front of her and Saturn at her heels, all heading down to the corridor Setsuna should have been patrolling.

A few minutes later, as four scouts pulled Slytherins out of the Darkness Powder and four raced towards the north wing of the castle where Setsuna’d patrolled, three scouts gasped, hands coming up to clutch their heads. Mars collapsed onto the floor outside the Room of Requirement. Neptune tripped, Uranus barely keeping her upright. And Saturn’s transformation failed as she fell, as Hotaru, into Sailor Moon’s arms.

“Setsuna?” Moon asked as she steadied her.

Hotaru nodded. Neptune leaned her head onto Uranus shoulder, biting her lip so hard she drew blood. With every spec of her will power, she leaned into the intense pain, chasing it back to its source.

“Neptune,” Uranus worried as she began to shake, the intensity of the pain amplifying as she closed in on the source.

And she cried out as, for a moment, she and Setsuna shared one mind. She managed only to get her location before the pain forced her to withdraw.

“Headmaster’s office,” Neptune whispered as she drew away from Uranus and pointed down the corridor. “ _Now_.”

~ _SMH_ ~

Setsuna awoke with a jolt, eyes opening onto the wide grin of the Defence Professor.

“Dear, Dear, your luck is up, I’m afraid.” And as the Umbridge drew back, Setsuna took in the room. She was in a chair. Stuck to it, actually. That little detail about the timeline had eluded her. But she was in the Headmaster’s office. She sought out the item she needed as she took in the impassive face of the Headmaster, two wizards she didn’t recognize, and a few students – some of the older Slytherins, and a Ravenclaw with a peculiar case of acne. And – there it was – the sword hanging to the left of one of the old portraits.

“I’m still not sure why you’ve come here with the ministry and tied up one of my valued faculty?” Dumbledore was saying. She directed her attention back towards him. He would have to leave.

“Oh I think you know quite well why, Albus.” Umbridge giggled. “You see,” She rounded on Setsuna. “There is a group of students at this school involved in a rebellion against the Ministry – one you set in motion by hiring this…Vigilante.” She glared at Setsuna. “We looked up your files at the Ministry of Japan. Redacted copies.” She tutted. “But clearly some sort of magical-being for hire.” She reached out and took the Garnet Rod from Macnair. “Why this is full of so much magic, it should be illegal.”

Setsuna was about to retort when Dumbledore intervened. “You’ve caught me,” he said, holding up his hands. “I did in fact organize the students.”

“I knew it!” the man in the bowler hat exclaimed, looking up at the tall man next to him. “Kingsley didn’t I tell you.” And then he straightened his robes and raised his wand at Dumbledore. “Dumbledore we’ll have no choice. You’ve broken the laws of the Wizgamot.”

“Oh at least 47 of them,” Dumbledore nodded. “Though I implore you to release Ms. Meioh,” he said, “As she arrived with the transfer students. She was not initially part of my plan. Nor did I make her aware of the extent of the group’s resistance to the ministry.

“That’s yet to be determined,” Umbridge interrupted.

“In any case,” Fudge grinned. “You will now be escorted back to the Ministry, where you will be formally charged, then sent to Azkaban to await trial!”

“Ah,” said Dumbledore gently, “Yes. Yes, I thought we might hit that little snag.”

“Snag?” said Fudge, his voice still vibrating with joy. “I see no snag, Dumbledore!”

“Well,” said Dumbledore apologetically, “I’m afraid I do.”

“Oh, really?”

“Well – it’s just that you seem to be labouring under the delusion that I am going    to – what is the phrase? – come quietly. I am afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban.”

“ _Kingsley!”_ Umbridge shouted as a bright white flash heralded the arrival of Fawkes into the office. Setsuna felt him soar overhead and land on Dumbledore’s arm, the both of them disappearing.

“You gotta hand it to him, Minister,” Kingsley said as he helped Fudge off the office floor, the man sputtering in indignation as he readjusted his bowler hat on his head.

“Why, I ought to,” The Minister blew a breath out his nose. “No matter,” and he turned to Setsuna. “We still have quite a few questions for you Ms. Meioh.”

She nodded, smirking. The details of this meeting had managed to elude her whenever she sought them, but it no matter what, they’d surely get none of the answers they wanted out of her.

“We do,” Umbridge agreed. And she saw the members of the Inquisitorial Squad jeer and trade amused glances. The Ravenclaw girl sniffed. “Miss Edgecombe,” Umbridge said. “I’m afraid it will be past curfew by the time your friends reach my office – I suggest you return to your dorm.”

“But…” she sniffed, pointing to the boils that spelled “liar” all across her face.

“I’m afraid I can’t help those dear.” And the Slytherins laughed as Edgecombe teared up, running from the office. Then Umbridge directed her attention to Kingsley. She held out a stubby hand to him. “Did you bring it?”

Kingsley raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t going to try to question her without it?” he asked.

“She’s a prisoner,” Fudge pointed out, as though assuring himself. Setsuna frowned, prisoner?

“I have done nothing wrong,” she declared.

“Oh but you have,” Umbridge rounded on her, and conjured a piece of parchment stamped with the ministry seal and bearing Setsuna’s name. “You see – I had this transfer request dated – it was made in August, but it was submitted,” her predatory grin widened. “Over a year and a half ago. Furthermore,” she said. “Redacted paperwork wasn’t much match for the Unspeakables. Whether Dumbledore does or doesn’t know this isn’t our interest. What is,” she said, glancing over at the minister. “Is that according to the full document, you didn’t exist in Japan until two years ago.”  
Setsuna raised her eyebrows. “A notion that is preposterous.”

“And yet, true,” Umbridge said. “So you are guilty, we can assume, of submitting false legal paperwork, impersonating an educational professional, fraudulent identity, and it would seem,” she looked at Fudge and Kingsley again. “Abuse of time-travel.” And she beckoned to Kingsley. “The potion.”

“Go on Kingsley,” Fudge said. “I know it isn’t quite normal procedure, but this is hardly normal circumstances.”

Kingsley shrugged and reached into his robes. Producing a vial of clear liquid. Umbridge grabbed it in her stubby hand.

“Thank you, Minister, I do believe I can handle it from here,”

“As an Auror, I feel it’s my job,” Kingsley began.

But Umbridge interrupted. “As the Headmistress of Hogwarts, I feel I am perfectly within my rights to oversee legal matters in my school. Besides, you, Mr. Kingsley have a new task, She glared. “Find Dumbledore.”

“That has to take priority,” Fudge nodded. “Yes. Good, and I should draft a statement for the _Prophet._ ”

“You can leave this in my hands,” Umbridge nodded. And Setsuna watched her as her overly-saccharine grin bid Fudge and Kingsley farewell as they flooed out of the fireplace.

As soon as Fudge’s feet had disappeared from the hearth, Umbridge rounded on Setsuna. “Now,” she giggled. “You’re going to tell me,” she said, uncorking the bottle. “How it is you have consistently displayed abilities to time-travel, how it is no one can ever find the Divination classroom, and _how_ those blasted doors wound up in the ministry the night of the alleged incident.”

“Or what,” she raised an eyebrow at Umbridge. “You’ll poison me with…whatever that is?”

Umbridge tutted. “Clearly you’re not any kind of proper witch then,” she smirked. “Anyone would recognize Veritaserum in an interrogation.” And she grabbed Setsuna’s jaw. “Truth potion.”

And then the vial was being forced into her mouth and had trickled down her throat before she could jerk out of Umbridge’s grip. The Defense professor stepped back, and clasped her hands behind her back. Setsuna clamped her mouth shut, feeling the potions effects as it left a fuzzy feeling in her throat. Her head felt light, free…

“What are the doors?”

She nearly answered, but kept her mouth shut, swallowing down the words, answering instead. “They’re made of wood.”

One of the Slytherin’s snorted. Umbridge glared at them. “What do they do?”

“O-o-open and close,” Setsuna replied. Already feeling the strain of the replies. Her head had begun to pound.

“Do they time-travel?” Umbridge said and Setsuna shook her head, eyes closing as she kept her jaws firmly shut.

She hadn’t foreseen this. Had certainly not, but that didn’t mean she was going to give in.

“Do we need to give her more?” Macnair asked. “I bet Snape has some,”

“We don’t need to go to Severus Snape, Dear,” Umbridge said, rolling up the sleeves of her robe and taking out her wand. “Sometimes it just takes more than a little Veritaserum to loosen lips. And she glared at Setsuna, wand poised. “ _Crucio_!”

 _The pain_ was so great it blinded her. She seized in the chair, barely feeling it tilt and crash onto the hardwood floor. She could barely breathe. Set as she was on keeping her traitorous mouth shut.

“ _How do you time-travel?”_ Umbridge asked again.

“I’m,” Setsuna began but clamped her mouth firmly shut again. It would be so easy to talk. It would be nice to talke wouldn’t it. _It’s the potion_ , she thought fiercely. Twitching as her muscles – all of them – continued to spasm.

“Dear,” Umbridge sighed. “You’re only making this harder for yourself.” She raised her wand again. “ _Crucio_!”

This time she screamed. Her head snapping back and hitting the floor and a broken piece of the chair. She felt the warm trickle of blood.

And then the symbol of pluto began to glow brightly, in the center of her forehead.

“ _What are you?”_ Umbridge asked, raising her wand on Setsuna again.

She glared at Umbridge, she would not speak. She would not speak. _Shewouldnotspeak_.

“ _Crucio_!” She braced herself for still more pain.

But it never came.

Midway to her, a brown and tan blur dove between Setsuna and the bright red spell, and crashed, as Mcgongall, into the Headmaster’s desk. Her eyes had rolled back in her head and her wand clattered from her hand.

“ _Minerva!_ ” Setsuna shouted, struggling against the sticking charm and her spasming muscles.

“ _What_ is the meaning of this?” Snape’s harsh voice snapped as he rushed through the open office door. “Macnair, Warrington, Nott – detention, all of you. You’re out past curfew. Back to your dorms – _NOW_ ” The students glanced at each other and scrambled from the office. And then without a word, Umbridge stiffened, falling over onto the floor, stunned.

Snape rushed to Minerva. “Idiot,” He muttered, conjuring a stretcher and levitating the Deputy Headmistress onto it. “She needs St Mungos,” he muttered, several charms lighting up from his wand and glowing as they settled over Minerva. “Heart attack.”

“Will she be alright,” Setsuna gasped.

“Impossible to know.” Snape grabbed a handful of floo powder in his hand. “If you would do me a favour and obliviate her,” he muttered. “Whatever nonsense she’s trying to curse out of you, I’d like to _not_ lose my job over it,” and then he and Minerva were gone.

She struggled in the ruined chair, her muscles still spasming in chaotic fits. She could at least move her arm, inching closer and closer to Umbridge until she could, after five attempts, pry the Garnet Rod from her grasp.

She cancelled the sticking charm and wobbled to her feet, leaning heavily on her weapon. She walked, in fits and starts, across the office, to the wall, and lifted Gryffindor’s sword out off of its display. She gasped, and then again. Her breathing in no way steady as she sank back against the wall, balancing the sword in her still-shaking hands. They were twitching so badly she nicked her fingers on the blade.

But she had it. She could see the Jadeite stone gleaming in among the rubies and yes, it was the exact same one. It’s energy felt familiar – similar to King Endymion’s. She sighed. At last, she could give the Princess good news.

“ _Setsuna_!” Sailor Moon shouted as she burst through the Headmaster’s office doors, Neptune, Uranus, and Hotaru just behind her.

Setsuna stepped away from the wall, leaving the Garnet Rod behind, stumbled, and knelt on the floor. She bent her head and raised the sword above her, the gleaming Jadeite stone on full display.

She felt the sword being lifted from her hands and then Sailor Moon was kneeling in front of her, cupping her face in her hands.

“You’re crying,” She worried, tears in her own blue eyes. Neptune, Hotaru, and Uranus joined them on the floor, supporting her on all sides. “Are you hurt?”

Setsuna sighed, at last feeling the tears on her face as Sailor Moon brushed them away. “There were…unforeseen complications.”

~ _I Solemnly Swear I Am Up To No Good~_

 


	13. The Department of Mysteries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I exceed my slated word count by a fudge ton and a lot of stuff happens.  
> And neither franchise is mine, as a semi regular fyi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate chapter <3

 

**The Department of Mysteries**

Hotaru's healing powers made quick work of the sword pricks in Setsuna's fingers. The aftermath of the cruciatus was another matter. She was beset with tremors all the way from the Headmaster's office to her rooms. Uranus and Neptune supported her between them on the trek, one sword and the trident ready in case they met any more of the Inquisitor Squad along the way. Setsuna kept her mouth firmly shut during the thankfully short trip, having only said she'd been doused with truth potion in the office before promptly clamming up. It had even silence Hotaru's questions. The first year walked behind them with Sailor Moon (who cradled Jadeite's sword in her hands). Hotaru bit her lip to keep from asking if Setsuna was alright or needed more help or where Dumbledore was or why they were just supposed to leave Umbridge obliviated in the office. She knew how important it was the Setsuna keep some of her secrets.

At last, they reached the entrance to Setsuna's rooms and Setsuna whispered the password. The portrait of the drowsy dryad swung aside, revealing the door already ajar. The inner senshi were their waiting, all four of them jumping up from the couch – still transformed.

Venus, the closest, stepped towards them staring at Setsuna. "What –"

"Wait," Uranus warned Venus as they helped Setsuna over to one of the chairs. "Be careful with the questions."

"Why?" Venus said. And as Uranus was about to reprimand her, Setsuna began to speak.

"Because I've been doused with a truth potion," Setsuna sighed. "And I'm," she paused as she slumped down into the armchair Uranus and Neptune had walked her too. "Too tired to keep resisting it, So if you ask too many questions I am liable to reveal things I've learned about time that I really shouldn't."

"She poisoned you!" Jupiter exclaimed. "Why I ought to,"

"Not do anything," Setsuna said. "She's been obliviated, so she won't remember anything of the events in Dumbledore's office between 9:34 and 10:15. But we have to allow her to remain because the Ministry still has significant sway over Hogwarts, and the alternative to her is actually much worse."

"Worse? How could anyone be worse?" Venus said. Then she noticed Setsuna's face, brows drawn together as she bit her lip. "Oh _shit,_ sorry!"

" _Silencio,"_ Neptune said, pointing the trident towards Setsuna as she began to speak. Though she still appeared to be speaking, none could hear what Setsuna said. She threw Neptune a grateful look. Neptune in turn settled against the arm of the chair, resting her arm across the back and clasping Uranus hand as she leaned against the chair's other side.

"Okay, got it." Venus looked at everyone else present. "We won't ask anymore questions."

"Right," Mars and Jupiter nodded.

Mercury tilted her head. "Um, except," she pointed towards Sailor Moon. "That sword."

"Is Jadeite's," Sailor Moon said, placing it gently on the coffee table. The inner scouts gasped, leaning in to look at the polished green stone in the middle of the hilt. "Setsuna got him… You didn't have to do it alone." She said, looking over at the tired time guardian.

Setsuna smiled at her, pulling out her Rowan wand and giving it a wave, then trying to speak. But it seemed the _Silencio_ was still in place. Setsuna frowned and tried again before looking up at Neptune who promptly cancelled the spell.

"I might have put too much power behind that," Neptune began to say, but Setsuna waved her hand.

"I'm just tired," she said. "It's harder to cast silently. Anyways – yes, that is Jadeite's. And, I believe it's past time we welcomed back a member of Elysion's court." She nodded to Sailor Moon. "The Silver Crystal should be more than adequate to awaken him."

"Right!" Sailor Moon nodded, mouth set in a determined line as she waved her hands before the locket on her chest. The top disappeared and the Silver Crystal floated out of its protective casing. It hovered between Sailor Moon's hands as the crescent on her forehead began to glow.

"Silver Crystal," she commanded. "Please help us: lend your strength to the Jadeite stone and bring back the bold knight – who always lead the way into battle and defended his Prince. Give him the second chance Metalia stole from him." The light from the crystal grew to a blinding intensity as she held it over the sword. " _Silver Crystal POWER!"_

At once the same white light filled the sword, and the Jadeite stone too began to glow – first a soft green and then a deep scarlet – the same as Gryffindor's signature color.

"He's there," Mars whispered. As Moon began to frown, staring more intently at the Jadeite stone and furrowing her brows as the light in it and the Silver Crystal grew brighter and brighter.

"Shouldn't he be materializing?" Uranus asked.

"He's not going to," Setsuna groaned and cursed. "I don't understand. I _saw_ this work," she said as she leaned her head into her hands.

As she spoke, the Silver Crystal dimmed, Sailor Moon lowering it back into its locket as she sank to her knees, her transformation fading back into her normal Gryffindor robes. Her closest scouts – Mercury and Mars – immediately rushing to her sides.

"He won't wake up," she mumbled. "If we can't wake the knights, how will we find Mamo-chan?"

"I don't understand," Setsuna murmured "That should have worked… He should be awake. He _is_ awake."

"But he's not here," Venus concluded. "I have an idea."

"I do too," Mercury said. "Usagi, look: the Jadeite stone is so much brighter now – I think you did wake him."

"I did?" she sniffed. "Then is he trapped in the stone still?"

"Or maybe in a new body," Mercury said, looking at them all and seeing Venus nodding along. "What if the Shitennou were reincarnated just like Mamoru?"

They all directed their eyes to the inert sword on the coffee table, the Jadeite stone in its hilt unmistakably brighter than before.

"Then we need to find them too," Usagi cried. "We'll never find Mamo-chan!"

"We still have a fair number of chances of finding him," Setsuna blurted out, holding up her hand as Neptune and Uranus prepared to silence her lest she let any time secrets loose. There was no harm in reassuring Usagi. "Besides, whether he's truly awake or now, he would certainly have felt something now that you've reactivated the stone. I think he may gravitate towards that sword just as you all seemed to gravitate towards each other before you knew your destinies.

"So we'll keep an eye out," Venus sighed, transforming back into Mina. "Then I think the best thing to do is go back to bed. There's class tomorrow."

"About that," Setsuna said, and they all turned towards her. "Before you leave you should know…my classes will be suspended and you," she swallowed. "You won't have Transfiguration until they find a suitable substitute.

"Substitute?" Ami said. "Why? Where's Mcgonagall."

Setsuna sighed and felt Uranus and Neptune's hands squeeze her shoulders. "She's in the hospital."

~ _SMH_ ~

" _Osric, son of The Great Lord Gryffindor," The familiar-looking black haired boy who was being much too formal put the tip of his steel blade down on each of their shoulders, the weight accompanied by words. "I here by name you Sir. Jadeite – Knight of Chivalry and Valour. And as an honoured member of my future court," The boy smiled, holding out his other hand and opening it, revealing a green stone that glowed with a golden light. "This Jadeite stone is my gift to you – imbued with the power of Elysion's Golden Crystal – to aid you in your commitment to defending the realm."_

" _I shall use it well my Prince," they said, reaching out and clasping the stone in their hand, watching unflinching as it flashed bright red and gold - their own magic rushing into it._

_But even as they stared at the crystal, their surroundings darkened – fading from the bright white columns of the throne room into the dark stalagmites of a cave. They shivered, cold settling deep within their bones. "Your Prince cavorts with lunar kind," a cackling laugh echoed in their ears. "He will be the ruin of the Kingdom." They gasped as they saw the great Castle – the masterpiece of magic and their father's legacy – crumble in some doomsday vision under the bright white magic of the Moon Queen. "Give me that stone," the being nodded to the sword they held tightly in their other hand._

_No! A part of them said, but the being made some sense. Endymion had been addled by the Serenity brat, put under some spell surely._

" _Come on Sir. Jadeite," Kunzite said, stepping into view, awash in Magenta light. "We can't rely on the Prince anymore. Our duty now," he said, holding out his hand and gesturing to someone else in the dark room. They turned to see a woman with wild, flowing hair and a purple gown smiling fondly at them. "Is to Lady Beryl – under her rule Earth could be great – and so could our own world."_

_They thought of their father's castle of the many haunted muggle-borns that each year were ushered across the lake in away from the witch burnings and the mistreatment often pushed on those labelled "possessed."_

_They knelt and raised their sword, twisting the hilt so that the Jadeite stone shown towards the great demon._

" _My soldier," the being cackled as Magenta magic rushed into them and their gemstone. "From now on, you are not Osric, knight of Jadeite. You are simply Jadeite – fourth of my generals," it said. They bowed their head, feeling the immense power coursing through them – stronger than the Golden Crystal had ever gifted them. "Together, we shall make the Earth great again."_

_They stood, feeling the power twisting theirs, changing it, darkening it as Lord Slytherin's had darkened over the long years. They turned as something exploded behind them and gasped. They stood on a battlefield where before there had only been a darkened cave. They stumbled forwards, sword up as they looked round and round. There was Kunzite doing battle with the blond, and Zoicite unmoving on the ground. And the Prince: dead in the barbarian Princess's lap._

" _Wake up," a voice called behind them. "Wake up."_

_They whipped around ready to swing at the stranger with the blade, but stopped, lowering their weapon as they took in the light that hovered behind them – bright and small. It stretched out, growing to take the shape of a hare with glowing white eyes and twitching ears and whiskers._

" _Wake up," the woman's voice called through the hare. They stretched out their hand for the warm, light magic creature, watching it lean forwards and sniff their fingers…_

"Gah!"

She jolted awake, throwing back her heavy duvet and then the curtains on her bed. She rushed to the window and threw it wide, leaning out and gasping in the fresh spring air.

She sighed and twisted her fingers into the sleeves of her sleep-robes, gazing up at the half moon.

" _Wake up,"_ the woman-hare had called. She had sounded…familiar.

Though that was hardly the strangest thing about it. For sure, she'd had nightmares about dark magic before. And with the war stories she'd been raised on she'd certainly seen a fair few battles carry over to her dreams. But one thing was distinctly new: she'd never been a boy in her dreams before.

_~SMH~_

The two days leading up to the Easter Hols had never been grimmer. The whole school was shocked to see Dolores Umbridge in the Headmaster's chair Thursday morning, and no sign of the Headmaster, or Mcgonagall, or Meioh… made worse by the end-of-meal announcement that the Headmaster had been removed…pending arrest. And Professor Meioh had attempted to help him escape and that she'd injured Mcgonagall in the struggle.

And if they knew anything about Professor Meioh's whereabouts they were to report directly to the Headmistress…

Divination and Muggle Studies would be discontinued through the exam season.

A suitable replacement for Mcgonagall would be located after the Easter break.

It was hardly a story most of the school believed, especially given Umbridge made no mention at all of the failed attack on the D.A. meeting. And for once, everyone was keen to hear from the Slytherin table and the students who'd actually been there.

"Is Meioh okay?" Avery whispered as she slid in beside Haruka and Michiru at breakfast. "You both didn't come back to the dorm last night – you know something."

"She's fine," Michiru murmured.

"Good," Avery sighed. "And Mcgonagall? Setsuna didn't really attack her did she? And why is she a fugitive. That's… thats," Avery tore a sizable chunk off of her toast and stuffed it in her mouth. "Bullshit."

"Crying over your little crush Avery?" Warrington taunted. "Does that mean you're done with Weasley already?"

"Shut up you purist prick!" she snapped, the entirety of the Slytherin table staring at her as she jumped up from her seat. "She's my teacher! And she's a damn good one."

"And a wanted fugitive," Warrington sneered. "Not a very good one either. I was there when they questioned her you know. She didn't even know what Veritaserum was, must be more of a muggle than a witch, I'd say. Why if Mcgonagall hadn't interfered last night, she'd already be in Azkaban."

Avery fumed, whipping out her wand.

"Morgana," Michiru warned. But it was too late.

"Twenty points, Miss. Avery," Umbridge giggled as she walked up to them. "Put your wand away."

The seventh year glared as she tucked her wand back into her sleeve. "Sorry," she mumbled, clenching her fists and slumping back into her seat.  
"Much better," Umbridge tutted. "Don't worry, Dear. I know it must be confusing for all of you," she said, grinning at Michiru and Haruka as well. "That woman's probably put a whole mess of confusing ideas in your heads. Not to worry. We at the ministry shall be sending someone from the Auror office over. All of you in her class will get the chance to tell them whatever you can about Ms. Meioh."

A commotion at the Gryffindor table drew her attention next and as she left, to the snickering of the other Slytherins, Avery pushed her plate away and stood up again, rushing from the hall.

"She's taking this hard," Haruka murmured taking a sip of her coffee.

"She really looked up to Setsuna, I think," Michiru said. "She's been pulling away from the other Slytherins all year because Setsuna challenged her to think differently. I'm not surprised she's taking it hard."

A blur of outrageous scarlet and gold caught their eye – Fred Weasley in a color changing set of Gryffindor robes striding quickly out of the hall after Avery.

"Well at least she's got friends now," Haruka said. "Or…more than friends?"

Michiru chuckled. "Definitely more than friends," she said, stirring her tea. "You really should pay attention to girl talk more often."

They had a free period at the end of the morning on Thursday, where normally they'd have had Muggle Studies. Haruka assumed they'd go up to the clock tower for some privacy, or else check in with Hotaru. So she was most surprised when Michiru steered her out of Charms class at a fast pace, directing her towards the North Wing of the castle and towards the empty Muggle Studies class. She pushed open the door and ushered Haruka inside.

A red haired and black haired student looked up from where they were huddled close together in the first row. Avery sniffed, letting go of Fred's hand to wipe her face. "You're here too?"

"Have you been here all morning?" Michiru said.

"Since breakfast," Fred said, and then waved as someone else stepped into the classroom – George Weasley, with Kenneth Towler and Timothy Abbott.

Rigel Fawcett, Hamish Stebbins, and Roger Davies weren't far behind them, and by the time the bell chimed signalling the start of the next period, all of Setsuna's class was gathered in the classroom.

Avery sighed. "Umbridge is going to pay for this."

"In time Miss. Avery," Setsuna's low voice sent the whole class to their feet as she emerged from the office door at the back of the classroom. She looked tired, letting Michiru and Haruka know she'd likely refused their order to rest. She carried the Garnet rod in her hand and tapped it against the floor, the Time Doors materializing behind her.

"I apologize if you got the impression that class was being discontinued," she said. And they could see through the doors the fog gathering into the form of desks and chairs. "But you all have exams to pass next month, and we won't be wasting it. I still have your Easter break homework to give out."

It was a true spectacle of Hogwarts' history to hear Fred and George Weasley cheer at the prospect of homework.

"Send us to Tokyo this time!" Fred insisted.

"We've learned a bit," George said.

"Mostly swears,"

"But our miming skills are top notch," they declared together.

"There'll unfortunately be no time for holidays like the one we had at Christmas," she said as the twins whined. "No, your assignment will be to read a book."

"Which one?" Avery demanded.

"Well," Setsuna said, beckoning them all towards the open doors. "At the end of the lesson, you'll get to pick."

Avery was the first one to follow her through the doors, staring around as she hadn't been inside the time dimension since Christmas.

"Someone's feeling better," Haruka said as they passed Setsuna.

"I was able to acquire an antidote to that blasted potion," Setsuna said. "I'm fine," she insisted, closing her hand into a fist to hide her shaking fingers. "Hurry and sit down."

They did and she tapped the Garnet Rod once on the floor, letting the doors close. She lifted the Garnet Orb off its setting and a beam of red light sprang out of it, projecting onto the thick fog an image of Dumbledore's office that seemed to be, from the perspective, straight from Setsuna's memories.

"You've been told a few things about the events of last night," she said. "But I fear the Interim Headmistress has left out a few…key things.

"Is that Minister Fudge?" Rigel Fawcett frowned.

"Indeed it is," She said.

"So it's really true – she want's to arrest you _and_ Dumbledore?" Rigel asked, only to be shushed by Fred and George as Umbridge began to speak.

Setsuna leaned against the Time Doors and smirked as many of the students leaned forwards with rapt attention.

She could think of nothing that would annoy Dolores more than honest education.

~ _SMH_ ~

The Easter break was over too quickly for those who left Hogwarts for the week, and not quickly enough for the many who stayed behind to study. Umbridge made the holiday miserable: instituting new restrictions, tighter curfews, and Inquisitorial Squad members to "supervise" the other students. Hermione Granger was heard quite loudly complaining that Prefects did _not_ need to be supervised, least of all by the likes of Goyle and Crabbe. She was given detention for the entirety of the Holiday and a week after. It was so many that even Hotaru's healing power could not completely hide the scar of _I must respect authority figures_.

"It hardly matters," Hermione insisted in the common room after her last detention. "After all – it is a good idea to respect authority. But I rather think that respect has to be earned." She blushed and grinned as the packed common room began to cheer and whoop.

"Well said, Granger," Fred said.

"Well indeed," George continued. "And what kind of gallant actions earn that respect?"

"Standing up to her of course," Hermione declared. "Mcgonagall's gone, Dumbledore's gone. Professor Meioh is effectively gone even if she can still hold classes." She looked around at all the Gryffindors. "We've got to stand up in their place."

"I love you," Ron blurted out. "I mean er…" he looked around at Harry who was gaping at them and Ginny who was trying very hard not to giggle. And at Hermione who was staring. "I mean bloody hell, Hermione you're inciting rebellion. It's good – you breaking the rules."

"Yes well," she looked down at her hands, tapping the still recent scarring on her hand. "Some rules ought not to exist I should think."

"Well said," George Weasley grinned. "And I think you're gonna have a lot more respect for a certain few of us after this week."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"Just that you should be near the entrance hall on Wednesday afternoon, little sister of mine." George said.

They did not disappoint. Wednesday was chaos – starting with a rain of dungbombs down the grand stairs, progressing through Umbridge's shriek of outrage upon discovering the swamp on the second floor and culminating in the entire stock of their fireworks – many taking the form of dragons and other magical beasts, being let off in the entrance hall as the entire school gathered around. And then they flew, in spectacular fashion, right out of the entrance hall on brooms that would later be discovered to have been stolen right out of Umbridge's office by none other than Morgana Avery.

"Give her hell for us Peeves," George said, setting off another string of fireworks that chased Umbridge out of the entrance hall. The twins flew to the open doors, the mob of students running out onto the grounds behind them. They circled in the air, higher and higher, summoning dungbombs and fireworks that they whacked back towards the castle with a beaters bat that Madame Hooch would find returned to her office later with a skiving snack box and a thank you note: _So you too can skive off class to keep Minnie company._

"REMEMBER KIDDIES!" One of the twins called via _Sonorus_ charm as they continued flinging fireworks, dungbombs, and even tossing pranking goods into the crowd. "93 DIAGON ALLEY,"

"FOR ALL YOUR PRANKING NEEDS!"

"DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO ALL HOGWARTS STUDENTS,"

"WHO USE OUR PRODUCTS TO GET RID,"

"OF OUR RESIDENT TOAD!"

The students cheered down on the ground and the professors present seemed totally apathetic towards the ensuing disorder.

"You gotta admit they got style," Makoto said as she jumped up to grab a skiving snack box out of the sky.

"OH! ONE MORE THING!" And one of the twins soared back down towards the grounds circling over the students and zipping through the crowd, students scrambling out of the way of the broom, until he hovered right in front of Morgana Avery.

"Oh, _uhuh_ ," Avery said. "You're not including me in this little spectacle – I have exams to take!"

"I'd never dream of losing you your top NEWT score Morgana le fair," Fred winked, leaning in and grabbing her about the waist. "But you should know," and he leaned in and whispered something in her ear that even Michiru and Haruka (who stood close by) could not here. Avery's eyes grew very wide and she stared at Fred, grinning until he leaned in and kissed the grin off her face.

"Mum's gonna have fit," Ginny muttered to the contingent of Gryffindors. "Quitting school and dating an Avery."

"They'll be the only shop on Diagon getting Howlers in the post," Ron added.

Finally Avery pushed Fred away. "Go," she told at him. "And you'd better give me an extra discount."

"Your orders are free," Fred winked. "Lee!"

"Aye Captain," Lee saluted.

"You are now Prankster-in-Chief." And he tossed one final item to Lee – a badge with a dazzling purple W embossed across it. Lee proudly stuck it to his chest.

All of this, Setsuna watched from the time dimension, smiling at the moment between her two students. It would cause Avery nothing but trouble with the Slytherins, but she thought at last the girl considered her identity more important than her image.

"I should assign readings more often," she murmured, directing the doors towards a new location.

When she stepped out of them, it was into a startlingly white room with pale green borders on the walls and on the frame of the hospital bed that was tucked against the window.

Not that there was any point to that, according to her last report from Rolanda and Severus, the occupant of that bed had only ever awoken a few times, always at night, hardly the time to enjoy the view.

She appeared to be sleeping now. All the better, Setsuna thought as she squared her shoulders and stepped out – for the first time – into Minerva Mcgonagall's hospital room. She conjured a vase for the bedside table and filled it with a fresh set of wild flowers. There was one other bouquet in the room, and a Wizarding Wireless – crackling with the boisterous voice of a Quidditch announcer. She noticed too the memorabilia – including a Holly Head Harpies poster fixed to the wall and a plushie of the mascot on the window sill.

"I distinctly recall you saying this was Rolanda's favourite team," Setsuna mused, staring at the poster whose players were currently making faces at her. "Is she trying to convert you?"

She got no answer though and sighed, going to the end of the hospital bed and picking up the chart.

_74 yrs old. Female. Animagus… close range exposure to cruciatus, subsequent heart attack. Damage to…_

Setsuna sighed, going to the chair by Minerva's night-stand and sinking down into it as she reviewed the consequences of her misstep.

"I didn't see it," she said. "I got too caught up in being able to see the outcome, I forgot it was important that the details were unclear." She stared again at the extensive list of spell damage and the progress – which was positive, but slow. According to the notes there was a broad range of recovery outcomes ranging from 60 – 95%. Minerva'd apparently only woken for brief periods and only just in the past few days. "You didn't have to leap in front of me." She said to the slumbering Transfiguration professor, who looked so strange with her hair undone and her glasses missing. "You and Severus would have got there and I'd only have been cursed three times…I would have lived." She swallowed. "I should have apologized sooner. It's… my fault you're here. If I hadn't been in the office you would still be…" She sighed. "Umbridge is the Headmistress now. And the students are miserable… we're doing all we can to fight her, but with the Ministry's backing…" she trailed off again, reviewing the chart. "You'd be proud of the students – especially Fred and George. You know they flat out quit school the other day."

"…Still get detention," Minerva croaked, startling her. Setsuna looked up. The Transfiguration professor had turned towards her and was squinting at her with glassy eyes. Setsuna hastily turned and grabbed the professor's glasses off the nightstand, setting them on her nose.

"Thank you," Minerva whispered, attempting to sit up only to slump back down into her pillows. "Not your fault."

"It is, you shouldn't have… _why_ did you do it?" she asked frustrated.

"Your hands," Minerva said. "How are they?"

"Fine," Setsuna said, as she looked down at them and realized something. They were steady.

They hadn't shaken in almost a week…

Minerva hummed. "That's why I did it." She waved a hand weakly towards the door. "This hospital, has… several crucioed patients…no one should…take that curse…at all…let alone." She coughed. "More than once."

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't talk."

Minerva glared at her over her glasses. "I am fine."

Setsuna smiled. "Of course."

"My students,"

"All well. Fred and George dropped out today – caused absolute mayhem"

"I wonder if I should give them detention or…biscuit" Minerva muttered. Eyes already drooping.

"I'm sorry I haven't been by before," Setsuna said, replacing the chart on the end of the bed. "Don't worry – you're going to heal just fine."

"Not worried," Minerva whispered.

"I'll go – let you rest." She said. "And I'll tell Rolanda you want a different team on the poster." she added, and it did make Minerva smile. She took one last look at the harpies on the poster winking and sneering at her, and turned back to the still open Time Doors.

"Wait," Minerva said as loudly as she could – voice cracking. Setsuna rushed back and leaned in closer so she could hear her whisper. "Protect…the students."

"I will," Setsuna promised. "I swear I will."

~ _SMH_ ~

Harry was beginning to suspect Rei's Evil Spirit spell had actually done something as April turned into May amid a slew of amateur pranksters trying to match the twins legend and as OWL and NEWT season consumed the upper years. He considered, as he tried and failed to think of what to write for his History of Magic OWL, that he hadn't dreamed of that door in the months since she'd banished the evil in his scar.

He still got visions, of course. His scar still occasionally burned, and he could still feel Voldemort's emotions. But it seemed at last that the recurring dream that had plagued him for so long had passed. Instead, all he saw of Voldemort were a few true memories. They were sparse. They happened only in his sleep or when he meditated, and only if the dark lord was feeling very strongly about something…

Though speaking of Voldemort, he was feeling incredibly angry right now. Harry rubbed his scar as he scratched something about goblin rebellions onto his parchment. The feeling persisted throughout the exam, though no visions accompanied it.

He'd been trying to get as much time to dream and to meditate as possible the past few weeks. Rei had been right. Maybe it was better if Voldemort couldn't see in his head. But Harry feared it meant he was also missing important things from Voldemort. Especially after the Trolls and Erklings, he was growing anxious. So despite the fact that Ron and Hermione both insisted on going outside to celebrate the end of the History OWL and even though the exchange students had somehow managed to erect a volleyball net on the grounds, Harry was distracted all through the afternoon, and distracted when Stebbins announced that Umbridge was coming, prompting an end to their game. He was distracted all through dinner as the anger from Voldemort faded and changed into something wholly more terrifying. Excitement. He'd felt much the same before the Troll and the Erkling attacks on the castle. He was distracted by his scar right up until he went to bed. So much so that he left the invisibility cloak out on his night stand.

And sure enough, no sooner had he closed his eyes, than he was the Dark Lord.

_The room was dark, save the glow from lumos emanating from the circle of his followers around him. All being used to shed light on the pathetic man who was screaming out another string of curses. It was an impressive vocabulary, though he found it quite crass._

" _Surely your pureblood mother taught you better manners than that, Black?" Voldemort sneered. "Crucio!"_

_Sirius Black's eyes rolled back in his head as he thrashed on the floor of the dark room. The death eaters in their masks snickered._

" _I know you can see this Potter. You're to come collect him. No one else will – All the Unspeakables have gone for the day," Voldemort taunted. "I'll be waiting… Crucio!"_

Harry jolted away already screaming. He tumbled out of bed, his glasses flying off the nightstand. He scrambled for them, then for the cloak. Then for his wand.

"Harry, mate!" Ron mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he threw off his covers.

"Dream again?" Neville asked. Even Seamus and Dean were sitting up in bed.

"It's…Sirius." Harry said, fastening the cloak and jerking his trainers onto his feet. "Voldemort has Sirius."

"What?" Ron said. "But…but the Order?"

"I don't know. What's…what's an Unspeakable?"

"They work in the Department of Mysteries," Neville said, slipping on his own trainers. Ron's were already on, and he'd pulled a robe on over his pajamas.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Coming with you of course," Ron said.

"I'm coming too." Neville said.

"Guys,"

"No," Neville said. "We did alright against the trolls – whatever you're doing, we're gonna help. And…and we should get Usagi and the others to help too."

"I…" Harry paused, considering the power he'd seen them exhibit. "Alright fine – they can meet us there."

"Harry," Ron said. "Where are you going?"

"Getting my Firebolt."

"You're not flying all the way to London," Ron said as he and Neville chased Harry out of the dorm. Neville hung back and nodded to Seamus and Dean.

"Get a message to the girls." He said as he rushed after Harry who was already scrambling out the portrait hole.

"I know it's a shit plan Ron," Harry said. "Have you got a better one."

"Yeah…Dumbledore,"  
"Dumbledore's gone," Harry said. "Mcgonagall's gone. I'm _not_ going to Snape." He threw the invisibility cloak over Neville and Ron as they caught up with him. "So you're gonna help me get my broom. And then I'm going to fly to London, and you're going to get a message to the Order if you can."

"Harry, that's mental."

"Couldn't you just floo?" Neville interrupted.

"Umbridge has blocked all the fires," Harry complained.

"Not her own," Neville pointed out. "If you're stealing the broom anyway… Why not." He shrugged. "In for a sickle, in for a galleon."

"I'm with Nev on this," Ron said.

"Then let's go," Harry said.

They shambled together past three ghosts, a patrol of the inquisitor squad, and narrowly avoided an encounter with Mrs. Norris by the time they reached Umbridge's office.

"Alohomora," Harry said, and the lock clicked open. He pushed his way inside and stopped in the doorway, Ron bumping into his back.

"I sincerely hope you weren't planning to leave the castle without notifying a professor," Setsuna Meioh said as she stared right at him from her spot on the desk. Harry shivered, wondering if she could see through the invisibility cloak. He wouldn't be surprised. He threw it off.

"Professor Meioh," he said. "You have to help us – we've got to get to the Ministry."

"Have you now, why?" she asked.

"My dream – Voldemort's kidnapped my godfather," Harry said. "I have to rescue him."

Setsuna nodded as if she'd already known that. In Divination it was eerie, but now it was swiftly becoming irritating. "Are you sure?"

"What do you mean!" Harry exclaimed. "I know I saw it – I saw the snake attack, I warned you about him attacking Rei's house cause I saw that too – I saw him plan the Erkling attack. I _saw_ it."

"And you're going to trust a vision from a dark lord, who from what I've heard is dead set on killing you, when that vision lures you away from the safety of the castle and, by your own admission, right to the exact place that dark lord is waiting?" Setsuna shook her head. "You boys must be able to see the trap coming."

"Even if it is a trap," Harry said. "Sirius is still there."

"Have you thought to check with him?" Setsuna asked, pointing her wand at the empty fireplace, which roared to life in a burst of orange flames.

"I don't have time."

"I think I can expertly deny that assertion," Professor Meioh said. "Floo call your godfather. Ron, Neville, and I will guard the door. If he's there, you're to go back to bed. If he's not," she nodded to the boys. "I'm sure we'll all accompany you to the ministry."

Harry drew in a breath. "Fine." And he walked past Setsuna to the fireplace, picking up a handful of green powder and throwing in on the flames. "Grimmauld Place!" he shouted as he stuck his head in the fire.

~ _SMH_ ~

"Neptune! Neptune!" Uranus screamed, frantically hitting the buttons on Miranda Castle's computer. "Pluto!" But the feeds from Charon and Triton remained scrambled, their power, somehow, cut off.

Which, given they were linked to the planets powers, and the senshi, could only mean one thing.

"Neptune! Pluto!" she screamed again, shivering, pounding her fists on the hard metal control panel.

They were dead. She shivered again and frowned. Miranda wasn't a cold castle.

Cold…

"This already happened." she told herself, spinning around as the room temperature dropped still more. She raised both swords as Sailor Galaxia stepped into view, holding two crystals (one garnet, the other turquoise) too tightly in her left hand.

Uranus frowned. She hadn't even seen Galaxia the first time.

"This is a dream," she realized. " _Uranus World SHAKING!_ "

The orange planet attack slammed into Galaxia, twisting her form into that of something Uranus had hoped she'd never encounter again.

The Dementor stared at her, rotten hands outstretched. She crossed her twin swords before her.

"Get the hell out of my dreams!" she shouted at it. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

She jolted awake, whipping her wand out from under her pillow and casting Protego as a wave of stunners shot towards her. She backed it up with an area spell that sent a shock wave rippling out, knocking over several assailants.

"Mi-"

"Put that down," Umbridge's cool voice said. Haruka jerked her head to the left.

Umbridge was standing close to the bed, holding out her wand as a Cat patronus sat delicately on her shoulders. At her sides were Celeste Macnair and one of the fifth year girls in the Inquisitor's Squad and behind them...

"Neptune!"

But Sailor Neptune didn't answer, her head was hung low, her shoulders slumped, her trident nowhere in sight. She was hovering: her arms grasped in the rotting hands of two dementors.

"Now: you're going to come quietly," Umbridge said. "No transforming into...whatever this is," she said waving at Sailor Neptune. "Be quick. She won't have memories to keep them satisfied forever, you know. They're not above the Dementor's kiss." she smirked and gestured to Celeste "hand over your wand."

Haruka watched Neptune for one more moment before hanging her head and giving the Fir wand over.

"Both of them," Umbridge said.

She hesitated, but then saw Neptune shudder in the dementors' grip, her senshi form dissolving back into her night clothes.

Haruka handed over the henshin wand.

Umbridge's grin split across her entire face. "Delightful" and then Celeste had stunned her and she was suddenly floating, glaring as the other seventh year levitated her through the dorm.

Her feet hit someone on the floor. Celeste laughed, tucking her hair back and revealing another wand that she'd settled over her ear.

"Pathetic, isn't she?" Celeste said, kicking Avery with her foot. The other seventh year twitched away, glaring, her mouth glued shut and her legs trapped in a leg-locking spell. "Here Avery," she nodded to the fifth year girl who waved her wand. Avery gasped as her lips sprang apart. "I'm sure the rest of the house will get a good laugh out of your cries for help." Celeste pointed to the wand behind her ear. "Prof. Umbridge will need to snap this: trying to stun a professor," she sneered at Avery. "Then again, your mother might snap it for her." And she gave Avery one last kick as the girl glared after her: letting a string of curses fly as Umbridge lead the dementors and the inquisitors out of the room with their prisoners.

They met a gang of other inquisitorial squad members at the foot of the stairs, Warrington eyeing Michiru with a smirk that made Haruka want to gut him with the Space Swords.

Umbridge, unfortunately, noticed.

"Mr. Warrington," she said. "I need one of the dementors to guard Miss Avery and make sure she doesn't hurt anyone or herself." She gestured to Michiru, still trapped between the dementors. "If you could assist."

Warrington grinned, waving his wand rather than walk up to the dementors, Michiru's body sailed out of their grip. He could have levitated her, as Celeste was doing. Instead he made a point of sneering at Haruka as he swung Michiru up into his arms.

Scratch that. She wasn't going to gut him. Michiru was going to beat her to it.

Hopefully.

"Now," Umbridge smirked. "Lets move quickly shall we," she said. "After all...time is of the essence." And she produced four little hour glass necklaces from her pocket, passing them around to the other Slytherins. Macnair slung the gold chain around Haruka's neck. "A half hour shall do," Umbridge said as the inquisitors spun the hourglasses a half turn. Haruka closed her eyes as the world spun, restored to the Slytherin common room in a few moments. She could hear Avery shouting spells in the dorm below, and Sailor Neptune letting off a Deep Submerge. She frowned. Michiru was still unconscious nearby. And Avery had no wand to cast with. She then heard Macnair casting return fire despite the same girl standing beside her.

 _Wizard time-travel_ , Haruka realized.

"Now," Umbridge giggled. "Let's pay the intruders in my office a visit, hmmm?"

~ _SMH_ ~

"Sirius!" Harry shouted into the fire. Grimmauld Place was dark, not even the candles were lit. Harry's heart pounded in his ears. "Sirius!"

"He's not here,"

Harry jerked his head to the side, the silhouette of the Black's house stood by the foot of the stairs. The green fire reflected dramatically in Kreacher's wide eyes.

"Disgraced Master Black isn't here."

Then sharp nails dug into his skull and jerked his head free of the flames, he tumbled out onto the office floor, and stared up at Umbridge who was grinning at him.

"Consorting with a fugitive and breaking into my private office," Umbridge tutted. "Potter that's certainly grounds for explusion. And for you two," she said. Harry followed her gaze towards Ron and Neville, held at wand-point by Crabbe and Goyle, and then towards Professor Meioh, who had her Rowan wand pointed towards the gang of Inquisitor Squad members and (Harry shuddered) the dementor in the doorway. Haruka and Michiru were restrained by two of the seventh years, both seemingly worse for wear thanks to the dementor hovering between them.

"Now," Umbridge pointed her wand at Harry "You're going to hand over your wand, Potter. You wont need it once you're expelled."

~ _SMH_ ~

Avery struggled on the floor of the Slytherin dorm, legs and arms still pinned to her sides no matter how much she thrashed. And she was keenly aware of the dementor hovering outside.

 _My wand_ , she thought. _I need my wand_.

She knew she'd heard them correctly. There were intruders in the Headmasters office. That meant Prof. Meioh. Avery thrashed again. The professor might go to Azkaban. Or worse: she, Haruka, and Michiru might get kissed...

And Umbridge was going to snap her wand and tell her mother she'd been taking Muggle Studies for two years against her wishes. Avery closed her eyes to combat the stupid tears. That _wasn't_ going to happen.

"Y _ou can always work at the shop,"_ Fred had comforted her just a month ago while they stargazed atop the Astronomy Tower. _"Seriously. We need competent people - and I'd get to see your face everyday"_

 _"I'm not working for you,"_ she'd laughed. _"Not unless I get partial ownership."_

 _"You haven't earned that,"_ he had laughed. _"Listen. I'll talk George round. But you gotta prove yourself a prank master first."_

 _"Oh-ho. Challenge accepted,"_ she'd said. _"What's involved in that?"_

 _"Oh it'll be easy for you,"_ Fred had said, grasping her hand in his warmer one. _"Just do something extraordinary."_

 _Something extraordinary._ She focused on Fred: drawing in the memories and concentrating on them as much as she was able with the dementor outside the door. That was the first step: get rid of the dementor.

Without a wand.

"Come on, Avery," she coached herself. "Plenty of witches can cast without one. The best can. What does that say: that you aren't the best?" she twitched her wrist. She could move it just a little. She closed her fingers into the grip she'd use if she had a wand in her hand. "You have to be...the best." she furrowed her brows as she frowned. she needed a happy memory. The happiest memory.

_She was screaming, cheering them on and on as they got higher and higher and higher. They were going to make it. He was going to make it. They'd finally got a good one on that hellish bi…_

" _ONE MORE THING!" he shouted, or she thought he did. It sounded more like Fred than George. She gaped as he suddenly went into a dive. What the hell was the boy doing? She hadn't stolen those brooms just so he could get himself expelled by getting cold feet. He was supposed to be the Gryffindor._

_She stood frozen as the students parted before her, the broom flying between them and then Fred was in front of her, grinning his stupid grin and making his stupid banter._

_And then his arm was round her waist and he had pulled her close, his warm breath tickled her ear._

" _Morgana – you're a truer Slytherin than any of those posers," he whispered to her. "And I love you for it." She gasped and he repeated. "I love you."_

_I love you…_

_"Expecto Patronum_!" she screamed.

Her hand lit up as bright as a _lumos_. The light glowed and grew away from her until it had form: tall and strong, with paws the size of her face, and teeth and claws as long as her fingers. It shook its giant mane and let out a silent roar, and then the great animal bent down and nuzzled her head.

"I'll never here the end of this," she muttered. Then she directed her attention to the door, which had swung open, the dementor hovering close. "Get it!" she shouted.

The Patronus twisted away from her, charging the dementor, rearing and then knocking it out of the dorm and down the stairs. It kicked the door shut with its hind legs. Since when could Patronii touch things? She shook her head as it ran back to her. There was no time to question it.

"Professor Meioh needs help," she said to it. "In Umbridge's office. Go tell the other students – Go!"

~ _SMH_ ~

"Wake up!"

Stebbins jumped as Morgana Avery's voice shouted at him from beside his bed. He tumbled out onto the floor along with Fawcett, who scrambled to pull the covers back over himself as he and the rest of the dorm gaped

There, talking in Avery's voice, was the fully corporeal patronus of a giant, male, lion.

"Professor Meioh's in trouble," it said bounding up to Bobby Macmillan's bed too. "Go to Umbridge's office!" and then it bounded out of the seventh year Hufflepuff dorm. They heard the screams from the girls dorms as it went to warn still more students.

"Fawcett?" Macmillan asked as they all stuffed on their trousers and slippers.

"Oh like you've never snuck anyone in," Stebbins said, grabbing his wand. "Come on!"

They rushed out faster than the other boys who weren't in Setsuna's class, and when they emerged into the common room they saw a young woman in a short green skirt already there, lightning dancing across the hammer in her hands.

"Stebbins!" she nodded to him "Come on, we gotta hurry."

"Who are you?" he said as they raced through the exit of the common room.

"Sailor Jupiter," she said. "All of you, keep up!" and he noticed the girls in their night gowns watching from the stairs and did a double take. Makoto wasn't there… and this girl had rose earrings.

 _No_ , he shook his head. _It can't be Makoto…_

~ _SMH_ ~

Harry gripped his wand tighter.

Umbridge tutted, shaking her head at him. "You will give it up. And Professor Meioh you will as well – and that staff," she said. "I can't vouch for these two's safety if you don't."

"Don't give her anything," Michiru mumbled, and Harry looked over to see she was awake and, along with Haruka, glaring at Umbridge.

"Well you're certainly now in a position to argue, Miss. Kaioh," Umbridge giggled. "You have no wand. No powers. You're surrounded. Why, I've half a mind to have you both kissed and be done with it. Now," she rounded on Setsuna. "Let's see. Veritaserum doesn't work on you - does this?" and she pointed her wand at Haruka. " _Cruci-_ "

"Stop!" Setsuna shouted, lowering her wand.

"Suna!" Michiru shouted.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I can't let her hurt you."

Harry thought he'd never seen a smile so wide on Umbridge's face. She summoned Setsuna's wand. And beckoned the dementor forwards.

"Azkaban's looking woefully empty nowadays," she said. "It would be good press for the public to know we've locked up a foreign witch meddling with time. Now, whether you get the high security cells or not depends entirely on what you tell me here."

Harry raised his wand as the dementor zeroed in on Setsuna, the carpet near her feet turning to ice. " _Expec_ –"

" _Expelliarmus_!" Malfoy shouted and Harry's wand jerked out of his hand. Michiru and Haruka struggled against their captors as the dementor circled Setsuna, who was shaking.

"Tell me," Umbridge said. "What you are."

" _Stop right there!"_ a voice demanded.

The crowd of people in the office jerked their heads towards the window. Setsuna, Haruka, and Michiru grinned as Harry took in the six figures in short skirts standing in the windows, backlit by the moon.

"How dare you attack students in their dorms, set monsters loose on the castle, and not to mention," the figure in the center with the long ponytails said. "Attempt to hurt my cherished friends." She leapt down from the windows along with the five figures on either side of her in blue, purple, red, green, and orange.

"Who-who," Umbridge sputtered.

"I am Sailor Moon," the young woman glared, pointing a gloved finger at Umbridge. "You've tormented my friends for the last time – in the name of the Moon,"

"We'll punish you." The six of them chorused together.

"Get them!" Umbridge shouted at the dementor. It advanced on the girls.

Only to be stopped mid-advance as the girl farthest on the right snapped a bright orange whip, which wrapped three times around the dementor while it howled with pain.

" _Expecto Patronum!"_ the orange girl shouted and Harry gaped as dozens of orange birds emerged from the links of the whip, spiralling around the dementor and then diving at it, piercing its black flesh with their bright orange beaks until it fell to the floor as little more than scraps of cloth and dust.

_Minako…Venus._

Umbridge was sputtering. "I don't know what you are," she said. "But I still have your friends." And she, Warrington, and Macnair directed their wands back at the Setsuna and the two Slytherins.

Warrington grinned " _Cruci –_ gah!" suddenly Michiru disappeared and Warrington shouted, clutching his wand hand. His wand clattered to the floor. Macnair screamed, letting go of Haruka who stumbled out of her grip, caught by Venus' orange whip before she could hit the ground.

Harry stared (along with Ron, Neville, and all the inquisitorial squad) at the meter long snake with turquoise and blue stripes along its body. It slithered across the floor, and wrapped Macnair's and Warrington's wands up in its tail. Then it turned to glare at Umbridge, its body rising up in the air as it warped and twisted, transforming into Michiru who held their captors' wands in each hand.

"Bloody hell," Ron squeaked, looking something between awed and terrified.

" _Expelliarmus,"_ Michiru whispered. Umbridge's wand jerked out of her hand and straight into Michiru's, who caught it, brought it together with Warrington and Macnair's, and snapped all three, letting the pieces clatter to the office floor.

Then the blue-skirted girl – _Ami! –_ on the far left pointed her staff at Umbridge. " _Accio wands_ ,"

Umbridge shrieked and spun as six wands – three of wood and three sailor ones, tore themselves free of Umbridge's robes before flying back to their owners.

Setsuna nodded to the blue warrior as she caught hers. "You want to know what I am," she said to Umbridge and chuckled. "You have no idea who we are."

"You're still outmatched," Umbridge said, smile trembling. "I have my entire Inquisitor Squad here.

And just as she spoke, a rain of red spells shot out from behind the gang of Slytherins in the doorway. Macnair, Warrington, and a few others collapsed, face first, to the floor as Hermione Granger led a new group of students into the office.

"You didn't think they'd come without help did you," she said to Umbridge. Behind her, Harry could see Ginny, Luna, and many other students – most from the seventh year Muggle Studies class – facing off with the remaining members of the Inquisitor Squad. Hermione personally disarmed Crabbe and Goyle, freeing up Ron and Neville to punch them in the face.

"You, you, you," Umbridge sputtered. " _Mudblood_ ,"

"You know I don't think that's a way an authority figure should speak," the girl with the blond pigtails said. "You're done terrorizing the students at this school. In fact," she levelled her pink staff at Umbridge. "You're never going to set foot on the grounds again."

Harry leapt up to tackle his wand away from Malfoy as every weapon in the room trained itself on Umbridge.

"I am a ministry official!"

"Then consider this your pink slip," Venus said. "Everyone: banish her."

" _DEPULSO!"_ The spell chorused around the room as a bright light hit Umbridge from all sides, lifting her up into the air and then throwing her, through the window, out into the sky, Harry gaped as she soared over the Forbidden Forest before disappearing.

"Now," the blond one who was Sailor Moon said, eyes on the inquisitor squad. "Who's next?"

Her glare was cold, blue eyes piercing, as they challenged every single inquisitorial squad member in the room.

"Screw this," Pansy Parkinson said, pushing past Stebbins and rushing out of the office, tripping over Macnair and Warrington. The others quickly followed her, including Malfoy, Goyle, then Crabbe who scrambled across the floor when Neville's foot caught him on the way out.

"Nice one!" Ron said, clapping Neville on the shoulder.

"Thank you, all of you," Setsuna said, nodding to the Muggle Studies students. "Avery sent for you."

"She did – she sent a Patronus," Stebbins explained.  
"Then she's alright," Michiru sighed. "There's still a dementor somewhere in the castle though."

"Then that's your task." Setsuna said to the other seventh years. "All of you – make sure that Dementor gets caught. And make sure the Inquisitor Squad remains in their dorms. Dumbledore will have words for them.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" Ron exclaimed.

"By tomorrow."

"We'll make sure they don't cause trouble," Stebbins said. "Rigel, guys," he nodded to the other Muggle Studies students. "Lets go check on Avery."

The nine of them rushed out of the office, some with a "we won't let you down Professor," as they left.

"They really admire you." Michiru murmured as she undid the stunning spell Haruka had been struggling against.

"Only as much as they admire other professors," Setsuna murmured. "In any case – there's still something left to do." She nodded to Harry as he stood up from the floor. "You were able to get through."

"Yeah," Harry said, straightening his glasses. He looked round at all the Sailor Scouts, and at his friends – Neville, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Luna who remained in the office. "Sirius is missing…and I saw a vision. Voldemort's holding him hostage in the Department of Mysteries."

"Are you…sure Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I know he's there, Hermione," Harry said. "I don't care if it's a trap – I'm the only one who can rescue him."

"Not the only one - we're going with you," Sailor Moon declared. "Right guys?"

"Right," her friends chorused.

"And us too!" Neville said. "Like I said – we can fight."

"We are Dumbledore's Army – and what's an army without a battle after all," Luna added.

"We can take these," Setsuna said, waving the rowan wand. The giant set of doors from Divination appeared behind her. "They'll get us to the ministry Atrium."  
"They really can travel in space," Hermione muttered.

"And time," Luna added. "They're quite impressive."

"Come on," Harry said, storming straight into the time dimension, watching as the senshi and his friends followed him.

~ _SMH_ ~

It was moments before the doors were open again, revealing the dark Ministry Atrium beyond. Harry led the way out, followed by his friends, the now transformed Uranus and Neptune, and then Saturn and the inner senshi.

Pluto stopped Venus at the doors.

"Take this," she told her, tapping the Garnet Rod against the foggy ground of the time realm. Jadeite's sword materialized in the air.

"This isn't my sword," Venus muttered, testing the grip in her hand. It wasn't hers... none the less it was the same kind of weapon. It was a decent weight. She gave it a test swing.

"It is meant for any true Gryffindor per Hogwarts lore," Pluto said. "And you're going to need it."

"Does that mean we'll see Jade-"

"You're going to need it," Pluto repeated, before following the rest of the procession through the atrium.

"There's the cryptic time guardian we know and love," Venus muttered as she followed her.

The doors disappeared behind her.

~ _SMH_ ~

These were the doors in his dreams. Harry recognized them instantly. It was the same place Mr. Weasley had been attacked and the same door he'd dreamed of for months before Rei's attempt to heal his scar.

And Sirius was trapped behind it.

"Come on," he said, pushing open the heavy door and stepping through.

The room beyond was circular, lit with the soft blue lights from the dozens of candles lining the walls, highlighting all twelve doors.

"It could be any of them," Hermione muttered.

"They're too saturated with magic for me to get a reading," Mercury lamented, vanishing her visor.

"So we'll just try one," Sailor Moon said, stepping up to a random door. She opened it and peered in. "Eeewww… this one's full of brains."

"Not that one," Harry said, walking towards another door.

Just then, Sailor Moon shut the other and the walls spun. Harry's hand touched on the handle of a completely different door.

"This is worse than the stairs," Haruka muttered.

"This one won't open," Harry said.

"Here," Hermione waved her wand, a flame 'x' appeared and stuck fast to the door as it spun away from Harry's hand. "So we know which ones we've tried."

"Let's check this one," Ron said, wrenching open another. "Nope – brains again." He shut it, and this time Rei affixed the fire 'x' to the door – this one a soft amethyst.

They tried two more – one that was an "entirely oversimplified" model of space, and another that Harry swore he heard voices behind. Saturn shuddered.

"I don't like that one," she said, squinting through the door. "Is that a veil?"

"It's not what we came here for," Pluto said, putting a hand on Saturn's shoulder.

The next door Harry knew was right. He could here the screams echoing deep within.

"Come on!" He shouted to them, leading the way through the narrow room full of clocks and time-turners and grabbing the handle of the next door. He threw it open.

Sirius screams echoed through the endless shelves that stretched so high Harry couldn't see the tops, and wound through the room for so long that he couldn't see their end. He started in.

"Wait," Neptune said.

"We need to know who's here," Mercury added. She was staring at the stacks through her visor and Neptune was staring into the mirror.

And Sirius was screaming again.

"Harry!" Ron shouted as Harry took off running. "Bloody hell," he muttered as he, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, and Neville gave chase.

"We've gotta give them back up," Venus said to the other inner scouts.

"There's at least ten wizards up ahead," Ami said.

"And quite a few above," Michiru pointed to the tops of the stacks. "Lets do this." The four outer senshi leapt up to the tops of the shelves as the five inner senshi raced towards the screams in the middle of the room.

Harry could hear the Sailor attacks and spellfire going on overhead, but he continued rushing forwards. _Sirius_. He had to get to Sirius.

He could see the four robed figures through the stacks, surrounding someone who was twitching on the ground.

"Stop!" he said as he approached, wand out.

"Ah, Potter," one of the masked death eaters said. Harry recognized the voice – Lucius Malfoy.

He stopped short as the four wands pointed towards him and got a good look at the person on the ground. The long black hair, the too-thin frame, and the clearly haggard face were truly his godfather's.

"I'm surprised, Potter," Lucius said. "I pegged you as having enough of a brain to recognize a trap." He glanced overhead as something bright blue clashed with a huge shield spell. "And your back up is otherwise occupied."

"No it isn't!" Hermione announced as she and the other students and Sailors caught up with him. She and Sailor Moon led the way between the stacks until they formed a rough circle around Lucius and the others. "You're outnumbered."

"Am I now," Lucius said, and they heard a number of cracks. Students and Senshi whipped around as 14 masked figures apparated into a circle behind them. Even with all the shelves in the way, they were well and truly surrounded. "The Dark Lord thought you might bring your little friends," Lucius sneered. "Impressive, how they handled the erklings _and_ the trolls. We were most displeased to know the other dark technologies were destroyed after Wormtail's heist. The Dark Lord was especially interested in those crystals the creatures could harvest."

"Well he's gonna be disappointed!" Rei shouted. "Setsuna had our ministry destroy the rest of them – as we did in the first place."

"All dark magic can be recreated," Lucius chuckled. "It was a good test in any case – of you."

"So sending monsters against innocent villagers and children is what you call a test." Moon glared at him. "And now you're luring children here by kidnapping their loved ones – we won't stand for it!"

"As I said, you're outnumbered," Lucius said, just as another explosion sounded overhead. A Death Eater landed hard on the ground, still glowing with the black and purple light of Silence Glaive Surprise.

"Not for long," Jupiter smirked. "You just wait, our back up's coming."

" _Protego Maxima_ ," Lucius said. A wall of magic burst from his wand, covering the whole area in a shield. "They won't get through that."

There were 14 wands pointed at them from behind, and four from within. And Sirius was still whimpering on the ground.

"This doesn't have to end in violence," Lucius said. "We only need Potter to collect something for us."

"What is it then?" Harry said. "I'll get it, whatever it is. Just let Sirius go."

Lucius waved his hand at one of the shelves. "Get us those orbs there."

Harry looked at the shelves, covered from floor to ceiling in the foggy, glowing orbs. Some were bright blue, others had no light in them at all. Many glowed somewhere on the spectrum in between.

The two Lucius pointed at were on the fifth level of the closest shelf. Harry approached it, aware of every eye in the circle of combatants watching him. He knew immediately which spheres Lucius referred to. They both bore his name. The first, was dim, dark grey fog swirling within it. It read:

**S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D.**

**The Dark Lord and Harry Potter (?)**

And the other, by contrast, was a bright, bright blue.

**L.S.L. to S.P.**

**The Dark Lord, Harry Potter, and (?)**

Harry reached for them and hesitated.

"Sirius wouldn't want you to give them those, mate." Ron whispered beside him. "We can fight our way out – it's practically one on one."

"You'd be foolish to try," Lucius Malfoy said. "In any case, Potter: it doesn't have to be about Sirius. In fact if there'd been any other way to get you here, we'd have left him alone."

Harry stared down at Sirius who had not moved in minutes, nor made a sound. Perhaps he'd mercifully passed out.

"Haven't you always wondered," Lucius continued, "what was the reason for the connection between you and the Dark Lord? Why he was unable to kill you when you were just an infant. Don't you want to know the secret, of your scar? All of the answers are there, Potter, in those prophecies. All you have to do is give them to me, I can show you everything."

"Harry," Ron warned.

But Harry didn't listen. These had all the answers then? Every answer he'd asked for and never gotten...

He lifted his hand towards the prophecies, but as he was about to grasp the two, a great crash split the air. He saw two bright flashes of gold and blue as Lucius shield shattered, and then the prophecies went flying off their shelf. Lucius Malfoy shouted in surprise as they rose up, above the stacks. Harry craned his neck, staring past a swirl of rose petals as the prophecies landed in Sailor Pluto's arms.

"I'm sorry, Harry," she said. "It's unwise to let them have these, or hear them at this particular time."

"How can you touch them!" Lucius thundered.

Pluto shrugged. "I can't fathom it, but we may attribute it to an occupational benefit."

" _Only those mentioned can touch them!_ " Lucius thundered.

"Or the Keeper of the Hall," Pluto said. "Which, while I never applied for the post, I think I fit quite well."

Harry wanted to shout at her as Lucius was doing. He saw several Death Eaters directing their wands away from the students trying to get a clear shot above. He had a clear shot at Lucius…

" _Stupefy!"_ he shouted. His spell sailed straight on, catching Lucius by surprise.

It was stopped, just short of hitting him, by a shield that shot up in front of Lucius, too close to have come from anyone in the circle.

Anyone except the wizard lying at his feet.

"I told you he wasn't going to hand over the prophecy so easily," Sirius said, voice taking on a higher pitch, and a strange girlish laugh. Everyone around directed their attention towards him as he rose up off the floor. He flung back his long hair and waving his wand – which was blacker and more curved than Harry remembered.

And then the glamour spell dropped away from the person's face. And he wasn't looking at Sirius anymore.

"Amazing how easy it is to stage a memory even if we can't send you visions anymore," Bellatrix Lestrange crooned. "How is it that happened anyway – the dark lord's been most curious?"

" _Stupefy!"_ he and three others shouted. One death eater went down. Another cast a shield in time. The third dodged, and the spell hit a prophecy which shattered instantly, the spectre of a man in medieval looking robes rising out of it.

Far above the battle, Sailor Pluto gasped, swaying on the tall shelf.

"Mama?" Saturn said from the shelf beside her, jumping over the body of a death eater to get to Pluto's side. Below, another round of spellfire went off. they saw two more prophecies shatter. Pluto swayed again and they saw this time: the fog from within the shattered spheres rush up and into Pluto, who gritted her teeth and held the two prophecies tighter.

"We need to leave," she said. "Now."

"This way," Uranus said, directing the four outer senshi back towards the exit. She stepped in on Pluto's other side. "What's wrong?"

"Every time a prophecy breaks, it comes to me," she said, stumbling as yet another sphere shattered below. "It won't end well," she said as they picked up the pace, running along the tops of the shelves. "And if I'm correct, more of them are about to go down."

"How many more?" Neptune said. They reached the ends of the shelves and jumped down, landing feet from the exit.

"All of them."

They'd just barely gotten into the room full of time-turners when the shout of eleven voices echoed out of the center of the hall.

" _REDUCTO!"_

" _Pluto!"_ Uranus shouted, catching her by the arm as she gasped, a whirlwind of fog rushing out of the hall and surrounding her. Her form flickered. The symbol of Pluto blazed on her forehead as her eyes rolled back in her head. She collapsed in Uranus arms. The prophecies rolled out of sight.

They could here the stampede of feet rushing out of the destroyed hall, spells flying along with them.

"We need those prophecies," Uranus said. "Saturn, Neptune: guard the door and the others." She vanished her swords. "I'll get her out of here."

"Go," Neptune said.

Uranus nodded, lifted Setsuna up, turned once, and disappeared with a loud "pop!"

Saturn and Neptune faced the darkened Hall of Prophecy with trident and glaive poised to strike.

Harry was the first the first one through, a limping Jupiter hobbling along with him.

"Lestrange is behind us!" he shouted as Hermione and Mercury rushed through as well.

"The Prophecies are on the ground," Neptune said.

Harry looked around. He spotted them quickly with his seeking-trained eyes, on the floor across the way. He dove, breaking a whole shelf of time-turners as he crashed. A rain of jinxes heralded Bellatrix arrival.

" _You can't run forever Potter!"_

" _Mercury Ice Bubbles FREEZE_!"

The temperature in the room dropped below freezing as a dense fog covered him. He scrambled to grab the brighter of the two prophecies and stuffed it into his pocket, then stretched out to get the other.

" _Diffindo!"_ one of the death eaters shouted as they entered.

" _Submarine REFLECTION!"_

" _Silence Glaive Surprise!"_

" _Protego!"_

" _Avis!"_

" _Mars Flame SNIPER!"_

Harry stayed down as the spells fired overhead and many feet rushing through the time room

"Harry?"

He turned to see Neville and Ron had ducked down to the floor near him, Ron's nose was bloody, but otherwise they appeared fine.

"Where's the others – Ginny?"

"Rushed out chasing Bellatrix…or being chased by the others," Ron whispered. Spells continued to fly overhead, but it sounded at least like the Sailors were corralling the death eaters out of the time room.

"I'd never seen her in person before," Neville whispered. And Harry realized he must be talking about Bellatrix.

"She's bloody mental," Ron said. "Casting _crucios_ left and right in there… I didn't think any one could cast an unforgivable that fast."

"We've gotta catch her," Neville whispered, voice quavering. "We can't let any of them escape. She's gotta go back to Azkaban."

"We will – here," Harry reached into his pocket and took out the brighter prophecy. "We each take one. Then they won't get both."

Neville nodded and grabbed the prophecy, stuffing it into his pocket. The fog was still thick, but the spell fire had moved on.

The three boys shuffled out from under the collapsed shelf. There was one death eater on the ground with an open gash that sliced through the back of his robes. And another that seemed to be stuck inside a giant hour glass. He aged into an old man as they watched, mouth open in a silent scream, and then instantly shrunk into an infant, growing again through child and teen and then into adult.

"He looks a bit like Goyle," Ron muttered. "Gross."

"Right, come on," Harry said, leading the way out of the time room.

"You two should spilt up," Ron said as they left the fog filled room.

Outside the ruined time room was more spellfire – five death eaters facing off against Venus, Mars, Moon, and Ginny. Ron dragged Neville along through the next door with an amethyst 'x' across it and Harry shot a spell at one of the death eaters, sending him crashing to the ground thanks to an effective leg locker. His mask fell off and Harry recognized the face from the papers – Rabastian Lestrange.

" _Venus Love and Beauty SHOCK!"_ Venus shouted, and kissed her hand, creating a golden heart that slammed into one of the other death eaters. He flew across the room, slumping down against the wall with a heart shaped burn smoking on his robes. Mars used her spear to create a fiery shield that blocked the spells from the three other men. Harry send off another stunner. The death eaters dodged.

They volleyed attacks back and forth for quite a while, the first killing curse shot at them from the death eater towards the back. Harry knocked Mars out of the way.

"You can't shield against that one," he shouted. "If it's green _don't_ get hit by it."

"Smart words, boy," the caster sneered.

"Well it's you who doesn't want to get hit with this!" Venus shouted. "Mars – tag team."

And she cracked the orange whip. " _Venus Love Chain Encircle!_ "

" _Mars Fire Ignite!_ "

Harry stared as the whip met the fire ball midair, merging and lashing out at the three still-standing death eaters.

They cast an ice charm that met it with a hiss, steam spreading through the room in a dense fog.

"That all you got?" the killing curse caster said, letting off another one towards Ginny who Moon jerked out of the way.

" _My wand_!" one of the other death eaters said.

"I think it was quite effective," Venus taunted. Indeed: the two men who'd stood in front of the flaming whip grasped at empty air, their wands having burnt up in their hands.

"You won't be winning for long," the final armed Death Eater taunted.

"Who says?" Moon demanded.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_ he shouted again. But Sailor Moon leapt impossibly high, over the spell (which hit the opposite wall with a crack). She landed on the ground feet from the Death Eater, with her pink staff levelled at his masked face.

"You're done," she said.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_ someone else shouted. And this time Sailor Moon ducked. The death eater laughed.

"About time," he said, and they looked as the door to the outside of the Department sprang open, five witches and wizards in ministry robes shuffling through with their wands drawn, led by.

"Percy!" Ginny exclaimed, running towards her brother and stopping short when he levelled his wand at her. His eyes stared past her.

"We've got the unspeakables dealing with the rest of you," the death eater taunted. "But there were some workers still scribbling away at their memos. Couldn't leave them out of the fun.

"He's imperioed!" Harry shouted, rushing up to Ginny and casting a _Protego_ just as Percy launched another spell at them, thankfully only a _reducto._ Ginny scrambled back with him, near Venus and the others. They backed up into one of the doors and Mars raised her spear. A wall of fire rose between them and the imperioed workers.

"We can't fight them!" Moon said as she gripped her pink staff and squinted through the fire. She couldn't get a clear shot at the death eater.

"Use the sceptre!" Mars said.

Moon shook her head. "I don't know what _Therapy Kiss_ will do to them." She bit her lip. "It could kill them."

"No!" Ginny shouted. "We just need to break the imperio on – " she was cut off as the five of them pulled away from another killing curse. They heard the death eater laugh.

"This will be fun to watch," he shouted.

"We've got to try something," Venus said, hand fumbling for the handle on the closest door. "Hang on… this one's warm."

"That's the one I couldn't open," Harry said, recognizing Hermione's flaming x.

"But… but I can turn the handle." It creaked as it turned, as though no one had opened it in a very long time. Orange light sprang out of the crack and Harry shielded his eyes. Venus gasped as it rushed into her, her whole form beginning to glow.

"Merlin," Ginny breathed. "I think that's the love room. There's rumors about it. They say the secrets of love are locked inside."

"Venus!" Mars shouted, eyes shielded from the bright orange light.

Venus chuckled, spreading her glowing arms wide, her hair and uniform and the symbol that shone from her forehead all glowed the same solid orange. Across the fire barrier, the five imperioed workers shielded their eyes. They heard the death eater swear.

"Secrets of Love huh?" Venus grinned, and seemingly stepped off the ground and into the air as easily as if she'd had wings. She raised the sword of Gryffindor in both hands and the orange light rushed into it. "I think I found the answer!" and she brought the sword down in a wide arc. _"VENUS PLANET POWER!"_

The arc of orange light exploded from the sword, vanishing the fire wall and sending all five ministry workers crashing to the ground. Ginny ran to Percy, waving her wand and awakening him. He groaned as he sat up.

"What's going on?"

"You need to stop sleeping in the office, that's what's going on," Ginny said as she hugged him.

"WHAT?" Rudolphus shouted. And Venus turned in the air to glare at him.

"Don't you know – Love can break any illusion," she said, raising the sword at him. "I'm through with you. _VENUS CRESCENT BEAM,_ "

" _Avada,"_

" _SMASH!"_

" _KEDAVRA!"_

The orange and green met in mid-air and exploded. The blast knocked Venus back several feet through the air, though she remained upright. Everyone else was send tumbling off their feet.

In the wake of the explosion, every door around them cracked and crumbled into dust.

And that sent several people tumbled out of a room across the circle from them.

"Ron!" Harry shouted.

"Ron's here?" Percy murmured.

"Harry!" Ron shouted, giggling. "There's a brain on my face, Harry!"

"Ron, get down!" Jupiter shouted, tackling him as the death eater in the room shot a spell over their heads. She grabbed the brain that had latched onto his head and tore it off. "Mercury!"

A beam of ice shot up in the air and froze it as Mercury came out of the room with Neville, who had a broken wand in one hand and Hermione's in the other.

And Hermione, a dead weight between them, her hair cascading over her face. Harry could see purple burns seared into her robes.

"She's really hurt," Neville began to say. "She's –"

" _Avada Kedavra!_ " The green light shot out of one of the other rooms and Neville and Mercury dove with Hermione towards the ground to avoid it.

"Gah!" Neville shouted as a rope shot out of the dark room nearby and grabbed his legs, jerking him away.

"Neville!" Harry shouted, sending a stunner through the door Neville'd disappeared through.

" _Avada,"_ the death eater began to say.

" _Expelliarmus_!" Jupiter's attack was lightning fast, the death eater's wand soared out of his hand and into hers as Harry disappeared through after Neville.

"Don't try anything else," Jupiter grinned, raising her hammer at the death eater.

He looked around at the packed room. "I surrender!" he said, hands coming up to lift the mask off his face.

"Rodolphus Lestrange," Ginny whispered.

He laughed. "I surrender," and then lifted his mask over his head.

Jupiter was already moving to stun him when the mask fell, revealing another wand in his hand.

" _Katavrochthizo,"_ He whispered. And with a deafening screech, a giant black vortex tore open overhead.

~ _SMH_ ~

Harry ran into the Death room, hearing the whispers that filtered through the giant veil hung from an arc in the center. Behind it, he could see the black and purple lightning of Saturn's Silence Wall and the blue of Neptune's attacks.

" _Expelliarmus_!" his wand jerked out of his hand and Harry whipped around, looking to the corner of the room. He saw his wand sail into Lucius Malfoy's outstretched hand as a circle of the eight remaining Death Eater's laughed. In the middle of them, was Luna, her wand gone, her legs shaking, facing Bellatrix Lestrange.

Who had her arm cinched tight around Neville Longbottom's neck.

"Come to join us, itty bitty Potter," she giggled, and glanced over at the attacks of Neptune and Saturn. "Don't worry, your little friends aren't going to intrude. They've got a mess of Unspeakables to deal with at the moment."

"Let him go," Harry said. The circle of Death Eaters laughed as they expanded to include him in the middle.

"Not until I have the prophecy," Bellatrix giggled. "I know you have it, Potter. Hand it over."

"Don't give it to her, Harry," Neville ordered.

"Oh, look at you," Bellatrix crooned as Neville flinched away from her. "Acting all strong and brave. Just like your father." She pointed her wand at Neville's neck. "Let's see who you scream like more, him, or your mommy."

"Stop!" Harry shouted.

But Bellatrix had already whispered _Crucio_ and Neville was already screaming. She released him and he fell to the floor, twitching.

"The Prophecy, Potter," she said. "I could take it," she laughed, pointing her wand at Neville again. "But I want you to give it to me – _Crucio!"_

~ _SMH_ ~

Venus screamed, orange power wrenching away from her and into the gaping, black vortex that had opened over Rudolphus head.

"This will suck up any magic!" he said. "Including mine, how's that for a surrender?"

"Sailor Moon!" Mars shouted, grabbing her ankle as she was torn away from the wall. Mars hooked her spear into the doorframe closest to her as both of them flew forwards. Moon's staff flew out of her hands and Ginny leapt for it, yanking it back away from the Vortex.

" _VENUS!"_ The four senshi cried.

"The more powerful the magic," Rudolphus laughed, "The stronger the pull."

Venus seemed to be fighting the vortex with all her strength. She had her whip in one hand and the end wrapped tight around Jupiter's.

"That won't work forever!" Rudolphus snarled, glaring up at the black vortex. It grew in size, arms of dark magic spinning outwards. Everyone on the floor ducked as the tendrils of magic flew dangerously close.

They gasped along with Venus as one of arms of darkness hit her in the chest. It twined all around her as orange magic leeched out of her and disappeared within the void.

"No!" Mars cried, but with one arm holding Sailor Moon and the other keeping them anchored with the spear, she could do nothing.

"Venus!" Moon cried.

And suddenly she wasn't Venus anymore. Her uniform flashed, becoming a stream of ribbons that flew away from her and into the spiral. Her hair dimmed back to blond. The symbol on her forehead faded.

And her hands went limp. The whip jerked towards the vortex, stopped by Jupiter's grip on it.

And the sword of Gryffindor crashed to the floor in front of Ginny and the ministry workers.

The black power dragged Minako towards the center of the vortex.

"Once it's done with her it will consume the rest of you!" Rudolphus shouted.

The sailors were trapped, too magical to fight the pull of the vortex. Minako's foot disappeared within it.

"Ginny!" Moon said. "My sceptre!"

She reached for her, but she was too far. And any move she made towards her send the sceptre soaring towards the vortex again.

"I can't reach," Ginny shouted.

" _MINAKO!"_ Rei shouted, and Rudolphus began to laugh.

Ginny stared at Minako, and then the sword of Gryffindor on the floor of the room.

"Hold these," she said, shoving her wand and Sailor Moon's staff at Percy. And then she sprinted, feeling the slight pull of the vortex as its arms strained towards her. But she was hardly the most magic person in the room. She leaned down and grabbed the sword just as she had grabbed Uranus sword weeks ago in the troll attack. It glowed red, and she held fast to it, raising it up in an attack position as she charged.

She stabbed Rudolphus through the chest.

Minako plummeted to the ground as the spell failed. Mars scrambled upright and ran to her, gathering the unconscious love guardian in her arms.

The sword of Gryffindor kept glowing. And so did Ginny, who stood and wrenched it free of Rudolphus chest, staring at the glowing blade as his body crashed to the floor.

"It wasn't a dream," she murmured. And put her thumb over the hot, green stone in the hilt. " _Jadeite Power."_

Everyone gasped as fire roared up around her, bright, brilliant red. The flames roared like a lion.

And when Ginny emerged she was taller. Her red hair whipped around her, still glowing like the sword in her hands. And her robes had transformed – into crisp white trousers and a jacket with red at the collar and cuffs. Gold buttons latched it together. She looked down at her red boots and red gloves and stared out at all of them.

"Jadeite," Moon gasped.

"I am Sir. Jadeite," Ginny announced. "Knight of Chivalry and Valour."

"G-G- _Ginny_!" Percy gaped.

"Sailor Moon," Ginny nodded. "We need to save Harry and Neville,"

"Right," Sailor Moon said, standing once more and walking over to Percy, grabbing her sceptre and Ginny's… _Jadeite's_ wand. "Mars, Jupiter, Mercury,"

"We'll get them out," Jupiter assured her, stunning Ron (who was still giggling inanely) and throwing him over her shoulders. Mars stood with Mina and Mercury with Hermione.

"She definitely needs the hospital," Mercury said.

"Percy," Jadeite said. "Go with them, make sure everyone gets to Saint Mungos."

" _You can't go in there!_ " Percy shouted, swaying as got up off the floor. " _Mum will kill me,_ "

"I'll be fine," Jadeite said, hefting the sword of Gryffindor. Flames burst forth from it.

"Be careful," Sailor Moon told her scouts. And she and Jadeite turned and raced through the door where Neville and Harry had disappeared.

~ _SMH_ ~

" _Crucio!"_ Bellatrix said again. Neville's screams had long since gone hoarse. The eight death eaters continued to laugh and jeer. Harry couldn't move. He and Luna had tried simply tackling Lestrange during her first attempt at the curse, but Lucius had swiftly dispatched them. Thick stone hands had sprouted from the tile floor and grabbed their ankles.

"Any day now Potter," she said. "While he's still sane," she giggled. "Your parents didn't last much longer than this."

"Wait," Neville coughed, blood spitting out of his mouth. "I'm sorry Harry,"

"Yes that's it little Longbottom," Bellatrix grinned. "Beg him for your life. Tell him to hand it over."

"Well it's just. If I won't be sane much longer," Neville said. "You should… know."

" _Yes…_ " Bellatrix whispered.

"Harry only found one Prophecy," Neville lied.

" _Which one_." Lucius demanded.

"The… bright one."

"That's the important one then," Lucius sighed.

"Go on," Bellatrix encouraged. "Tell him to give it me."

"He doesn't have it," Neville muttered. "I did."

None of them had noticed that he'd slipped the prophecy from his pocket and into his sleeve. Not until he slammed his arm into the ground, shattering the sphere.

" _NO!_ " Bellatrix gasped as the spectre formed in the air before Neville and all of them stared.

"That's me…" Luna murmured.

The prophecy version of Luna stared at them, eyes far away.

" _As the sun sets on the Elder stewart, the chosen one becomes a pair. Created for the Dark Ones' lives…"_

"AND WHAT ELSE!" Bellatrix screamed, shooting a spell through the already fading spectre. She began to laugh. Stepping over Neville and glaring at Luna.

" _You_ made that."

"I don't remember," Luna protested, arms frozen at her sides as she trembled.

"They say that about seers. I think they're wrong." Bellatrix said, grabbing Luna by the chin.

"Leave her alone!" Harry shouted, struggling against the hands grasping his legs. "Aren't I the one Voldemort wants?"

"Oh, I think he'll like the seer just as much," Bellatrix said, squeezing Luna's face. "I'll ask one more time," she said, holding her wand to Luna's chest. "What do you rememb-ahhh!"

She stumbled back as she was beset by the Bat Bogey curse, her wand gave a burst of light as she incinerated the bats and shrieked. She and the other death eaters spun towards the doorway.

"Step away from them," someone with blazing red hair said as their red boots clacked in tandem with Sailor Moon's white ones across the stone floor.

"All of you step away from them," Sailor Moon said. " _Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"_

Most of the Death Eaters dove out of the way. Two didn't, and the burst of white light engulfed them. They screamed within it, collapsing to the floor as it faded. Their faces chalk white, eyes dazed.

Sailor Moon and the swordswoman waved their weapons, and the hands holding Harry and Luna shattered.

" _Neville!" t_ he swordswoman rushed past Harry as Sailor Moon continued to guard against the Death Eaters, throwing up a pure white shield that created a dome over the five of them.

"I'm a'right," Neville coughed, spitting out more blood. "Really,"

"And Harry!" the woman asked. Though actually, she looked rather like a teenager. And she looked at him like she knew him.

"I'm…alright. Do I…know you?"

"Oh! You're glamoured," Sailor Moon said. "He doesn't recognize you."

"Oh!" The girl with the red hair turned the sword and looked at her reflection on the clean half of the blade. "I don't look that different."

"To you, you don't," Sailor Moon said. The crescent on her forehead was glowing as she blocked a volley of spells of all colours – more than a few green. "Anyone up for a little target practice?" Moon asked.

"Mine wand's broken," Neville whispered.

"They have ours," Harry nodded towards the Death Eaters.

"Well we can't have that," the redhead said. She turned towards the death eaters beyond the shield and swung her sword. " _Jadeite Noble Flame_."

Bright red fire arced off the sword and exploded out past the shield, sending several death eaters tumbling over.

" _Expelliarmus!"_ Jadeite shouted. Aiming the sword at two of the death eaters to their left. The wands flew out of their hands and back through the shield – straight to Harry and Luna.

"Six of them and Bellatrix?" Jadeite said. "Sounds like good odds."

"Just get rid of them quickly," Sailor Moon said as another volley of spells hit her shield. "I can't hold this forev –"

Outside the shield, several pops accompanied the appearance of more combatants on the battlefield.

"Harry!" Sirius shouted as he sent a spell after Bellatrix, driving her back. Harry grinned. "Alright?"

"Fine!" Harry shouted.

"Good!" And he turned away, focusing all of his attention on Bellatrix.

"Something's wrong!" Sailor Moon shouted.

And Harry could see immediately.

Beyond the shield, the imperiused unspeakables across the room were charging towards them.

"Hotaru," Harry realized, rushing out from under the cover of the shield.

The Silence Wall had fallen.

~ _SMH_ ~

" _Deep Submerge!"_ Neptune grinned, knocking over four more ministry officials. They toppled like bowling pins under her attack – and she wasn't even channelling half her power into it. "I could do this all day," she said.

"Just don't kill them," Saturn cautioned her, focused on keeping the Silence Wall standing.

"I won't kill them," she assured Saturn, though if sacrifices had to be made…

Suddenly a pop disrupted the space behind them. Neptune whirled around.

" _Stupefy,"_ two voices shouted. The twin spells zoomed past her and into Saturn who screamed and stumbled. She stayed standing.

But the Silence wall vanished.

" _Stupefy!"_

" _Protego Maxima!"_ Neptune shouted, the shield sprang up around she and Saturn, rippling as it deflected the attack from a pink haired woman and a man with a wild, artificial eye.

"Alright every one calm down." The man started to say to the ministry workers, only to throw up a shield of his own as they sent a round of spells at him, all the remaining ministry workers charged forwards.

"Bollocks," he cursed, and rounded on Neptune and Saturn. "They're imperiused."

"And we were keeping them back," Neptune snapped, dashing after the mob of brainwashed wix. "If you'd been paying attention."

"Sorry!" the pink haired woman said, shooting stunners into the imperiused crowd. It was thinning, albeit slowly. They could see Sailor Moon across the room under a shield of the Silver Crystal's power.

And Harry Potter running towards the advancing mob while a sandy haired man gave chase. Both of them were throwing stunners of their own.

"Hotaru!" Harry shouted in between spells.

"Is that one of you?" the wild-eyed man growled as he shot a spell that knocked over three imperiused wizards. Then he spun around to deflect an attack from a death eater. Neptune let off another _Deep Submerge_ that knocked over the final batch of wix. And Saturn shot a _Silence Glaive Surprise_ that turned the death eater advancing behind Harry and the sandy-haired man into ash.

Harry and his companion stopped short as they reached the pile of felled combatants.

"Wotcher, Remus." The pink haired woman nodded.

The sandy haired man pointed off to the left and then towards the veil in the center of the room. "Still a couple Death Eaters in play." At that moment another pop sounded in the middle of the room: Dumbledore appeared in a swirl of purple robes and many death eaters who still had their wands disapparated. Others scrambled to flee if they were able.

And some, like Bellatrix duelled on – throwing spells back and forth with Sirius too fast to follow with their eyes.

"I'm going to help him!" Harry decided, but as he stepped towards the Veil he saw Bellatrix latest stunner breach Sirius guard. It hit him in the chest. He toppled backwards.

And right through the Veil. Harry waited, but he didn't emerge from the other side.

He was gone.

"Sirius!" Harry said, and Remus grabbed him as he charged forwards.

"Harry, NO!" he said. He was trembling. "He's dead." Remus said as he held Harry back in a tight grip. "I'm sorry, he's dead."

" _NO!"_ Harry fought. "I don't believe you!"

"It's the Veil of Death," Remus said in a rush. "No one comes back through."

"That's what the voices are," Saturn murmured "I can hear them calling…" and before anyone could react she had leapt into the air and jumped across the room, over the heads of duelists and fleeing Death Eaters.

She landed on the dais next to a still cackling Bellatrix Lestrange.

" _HOTARU!"_ Neptune shouted. She raised the trident to use an _accio_ , a stunner, anything.

But she was too late.

The whole room froze. The whispers beyond the Veil intensified as Sailor Saturn approached. She raised her hand and the Veil blew outwards to meet her. The shimmery fabric folded around her.

And Saturn disappeared beyond it.

~ _I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good~_


	14. Facing Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neither franchise is mine but i do so love writing these stories anyways. :)

**Facing Death**

"Sailor Moon Kick!" Sailor Moon shouted, knocking out the last Death Eater still in the fight. Jadeite stunned him for good measure.

Her eyes went to the doors that Harry and Neptune had disappeared through – chasing Bellatrix Lestrange. Then she looked to the veil, the whispers from which still permeated the hall. She couldn't make sense of any of them, but all sent shivers up her spine. They almost seemed to mock her as she glared at the tall archway.

Saturn...

"Why did she do it?" she heard someone murmur and looked to Neville, whom Luna and Jadeite were helping off the floor.

"Maybe it trapped her," Jadeite suggested and shook their head "Sirius _and_ Hotaru… Poor Harry..."

"Stop," Sailor Moon said. "She'll come back." she sniffed and closed her eyes.

Saturn had survived worse after all… even when she'd first awakened and used all her power to destroy Pharoah 90…

" _Always with the end," the newly awakened Saturn had said. "Comes hope and rebirth. You are the one who brings that, Sailor Moon."_

"I can help her," Sailor Moon said, squaring her shoulders and holding both hands together on her scepter. She brought it close, bowing her head to it.

"Guardian of Destruction," Sailor Moon whispered to the Moon Scepter. "Soldier of Silence, come back." She raised her head as the scepter and her crescent began to glow. "Come back," she repeated as a rush of magic filled her. "Follow the light back." She glared at the Veil of Death and raised the scepter high.

Everyone in the chamber gasped as white light engulfed Sailor Moon, forming a blazing white gown that billowed around her in the still room. A gold crown formed atop her hair and butterfly wings unfurled behind her.

Jadeite dropped to one knee. "My Queen," they said, saluting her with their sword as they bowed their head.

Neo Queen Serenity kept the scepter aloft as the white light broke away from it, forming a hare with a crescent moon atop its brow. It bounded across the room and beneath the veil, disappearing within.

~ _SMH~_

Death could see them around her, the faded, dead stars that filled this endless space. She resisted the urge to reach out for them, though they cried out for peace in voices that echoed from all sides. It would be simple to grant that to them.

But the mortal in her had come here for something, one soul in particular.

Her bare feet skimmed over the dust of souls who, it seemed, had lost all semblance of themselves very, very long ago. She wondered idly how it was she could hold this form, mortal as it was, within this unnatural space of formlessness.

 _Then again_ , she thought as she drifted through another cluster of long-forgotten stars, _Perhaps my own nature grants me more time than they had_.

The star she wanted was easy to see amongst the others – its light still vibrant and pink. She felt the little mortal part of her cheer as she closed her hands around it and cradled it to her breast. It was still so hot and full of life.

"It was not your time," she said to the poor mortal's star seed as she hovered in the formless space. "It was none of your times."

 _Now go back,_ the mortal part of her wanted. But go back to where. Death frowned. Where was there to go back to from this horrid wasteland.

She knew this space beyond her realm, this void between it and the mortal universe. She felt sure there was a need to seek out and punish whichever mortal had torn a blasted hole into reality and shoved these poor stars into it. She held the one she'd followed here closer.

 _Peace,_ the old souls pleaded. _Peace, peace, peace…_

 _Harry, Remus,_ the one cradled against her chest whispered.

Death frowned. "I know not what these are," she said to the soul. "But peace," she looked at the graveyard of the forgotten. "Peace I can promise you all."

~ _SMH_ ~

 _I need more power,_ Neo Queen Serenity's voice echoed through Jadeite's mind.

As they stared, Pluto's maroon light flashed through the Queen's white aura. Then Uranus' golden-yellow, and lastly Neptune's aqua-blue.

But no more, the inner senshi must have already de-transformed.

Jadeite raised their sword, thumb running over the green stone. "Jadeite stone," they said. "Lend your power to the Queen as you once did to my Prince," the sword glowed red as they raised it overhead. " _Jadeite Power_."

The red light of the sword jumped between Jadeite and Neo Queen Serenity, the Queen momentarily glowing the same, fiery color.

Behind Jadeite, Neville considered Hermione's wand, still in his hand.

" _Lumos_ ," He muttered, raising the wand over his head, though his arm shook badly. Luna raised her free hand to support his, and then raised her wand arm, casting a _Lumos_ of her own.

Around the room, they saw the pinpricks of light as first an injured Kingsley, then Tonks, Lupin, and finally Mad-Eye raised their wands.

And gradually, the whispering beyond the veil intensified, the curtain which had been still began to ripple.

~ _SMH_ ~

"You have all suffered too long, lost too much," Death said, conjuring her eternal weapon. "No longer," and she pointed the tip of the Glaive towards the space below her feet. They had been stuck here so long, in this in-between void.

She would destroy it. She would bring all these tired souls the rest of the way.

" _Saturn…"_

Death froze, the point of her weapon a hairs breath from the ground. She looked out through the collection of dim and crumbling stars. This was not one of their voices.

"Who speaks?" Death commanded.

" _Saturn..."_

The word was familiar…to her mortal soul at least.

From the depths of the void, a soft white light emerged – a hare with a crescent on its forehead.

The hare hopped until it was sitting with its nose close to the Glaive's tip. It sniffed. " _Hotaru,"_ it whispered. " _It's time to come back,"_

Death felt the mortal in her stir, memories filling her. "My Queen," Death said, lifting the glaive away from the animal spectre.

The hare's whiskers twitched and it rose up on its hind legs, the light of it growing until it had taken on a form quite similar to her own.

" _There another way,"_ the Queen said, extending her glowing hand. _"Come back to us_."

 _But I must bring them peace_ , Death protested as the mortal in her vanished the Glaive, and reached for the Queen's hand.

Over the pleas of all the other souls in this hopeless realm, she heard again the calls of the soul still in her arms.

 _Harry, Remus_ …

 _I can give them peace,_ the mortal within Death insisted as she took control. _But this one isn't ready to go one with us yet_.

Hotaru Tomoe clasped hands with Neo Queen Serenity.

" _Let's go home_ ," the Queen whispered.

~ _SMH_ ~

One moment, the Death Chamber was silent save the murmurs from beyond the veil. Then next the murmurs had increased to a still unrecognizable chant, voices merging together as they spoke louder and faster and closer together. The occupants of the room gasped – save one, as the veil undulated along with the voices' tempo – faster, faster, faster – the fabric snapping to and fro as if beset by a sudden wind.

And then at once, the veil flew up, away from the arch, as the hare patronus dashed through it, circling round and round on the dais.

Suddenly the voices ceased, and a sudden silence overtook the room, broken only by the echo of a booted foot against stone. The occupants of the room stared as Sailor Saturn stepped out of the arch way, carrying a glowing pink crystal in her hands.

"I'll be here when you're ready," she said to the crystal, releasing it. "Go home for now."

The crystal floated down, towards the hare, who leaned forwards and pressed the tip of its nose to it. Both glowed a brilliant white. The light engulfed the crystal and grew out from it, fading into the form of a body lying on the floor: with wavy hair as black as his robes and a wand clutched in the hands folded across his chest.

" _SIRIUS!_ " Remus Lupin shouted as he shot up off the floor and scrambled up the steps of the dais. He knelt by Sirius chest and waved his wand over the still man as the light faded from him. He had a pulse.

Across the room, the white light dimmed from the Moon sceptre and faded away from Queen Serenity. Her form flashed back into Sailor Moon and then, as she lowered the sceptre, into Usagi. She lowered her arms to her sides and stumbled, knees trembling. Jadeite rushed forwards to catch her.

"They're alright," Usagi grinned, looking up at the dais.

Sailor Saturn observed the room for one more moment before turning back to the veil. She could hear the voices again, all calling out to her.

_Peace, peace, peace…_

"No more shall mortal souls be locked between this realm and mine," she said, conjuring her Glaive and raising it high. She let it fall.

The tip of the glaive chimed as it struck the ancient stone of the archway.

And then the whole Chamber shuddered. There was a tremendous tear as the veil split down the middle, rended in two, and then with a groan the archway collapsed, great chunks of stone smashing into the dais and sending up clouds of dust.

For a moment, there appeared to be small, dim lights, clustered in the air where it had been. Then, in a flash, they were gone. And Saturn turned back towards the room.

"It is done," she said. Then she gasped, eyes growing wide and held out her hand as something small burned to life in her palm. And, in another flash, she was gone.

~ _SMH_ ~

Sailor Uranus knelt beside the Time Doors as she watched over Setsuna whose Sailor symbol had not stopped blazing since she'd apparated her out of the Department of Mysteries. She kept one hand on Setsuna's shoulder and the other on her sword, poised to attack anything from within the time dimension or without. And she focused all her senses on the empty ministry hallway beyond. She was too far to hear the fighting underground. She adjusted her grip on one of the Space Swords for what might have been the thousandth time.

She looked down at Setsuna – still passed out. She couldn't leave her alone: not as long as she was unsure what had affected her about the orbs.

The sands and fog around her rustled. She stared out into the depths of the time dimension scanning around with narrowed eyes. Nothing appeared.

"How do you stand this place?" she muttered to Setsuna.

She got no reply. But she did hear distant footfalls beyond the doors… coming up from the lower floors of the ministry. She closed her eyes… all running… two with lighter, faster footfalls; one with heavy, pounding steps. They travelled up some stairs, down the tiled corridors. She gripped her sword. But they didn't run to the Time Doors.

 _Which means they're not being chased,_ Uranus concluded. _They're pursuing someone_.

She heard the spell-fire too – and the pops of multiple apparations. She tightened her grip on Setsuna's shoulder.

"Neptune…" Setsuna whispered.

"You're awake!" Uranus said, helping her sit up. Setsuna nodded, clutching her head.

"You need to go," she said. "The Atrium." She pointed out towards the direction of the footfalls. "Neptune's in danger."

~ _SMH_ ~

" _Crucio_!" Harry shouted. A jet of red light hit Bellatrix in the back. She stumbled and spun around, gasping and then cackling.

"Aww, itty-bitty Potter using an unforgivable," she giggled. "That tickled. You actually need to feel hatred to cast that spell Potter. Here," she whipped her wand out. "Let me show –"

" _Crucio_!"

Harry watched the stream of red shoot past him and hit Bellatrix just over her heart, she screamed, body contorting until she was nearly bent in half. She twitched on the ground, mouth still open in a scream though only a rasping sound left her throat. She gasped and struggled under the unrelenting assault.

Harry turned, wide-eyed, towards Sailor Neptune, whose eyes glared at Bellatrix over the light of the unforgivable that consumed the trident in her hands. Bellatrix continued to scream, head jerking along with her body and eyes reddening as the blood vessels within burst.

"I can finish her," Neptune said. "Get the prophecy out of here."

Harry nodded, putting his hand over his pocket and turning towards the long hallway of floo-fireplaces.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

He got his wand up as the jet of green light shot across the Atrium aimed at Neptune who had not turned.

A rush of wind buffeted him from the side. The blur of a blue Sailor fuku raced past, hitting Sailor Neptune from the side and knocking her out of the way of the Killing curse. The light of _Crucio_ vanished as the trident clattered from her hand. The green light glanced off her savior's sailor collar, burning a hole straight through the navy fabric. Bellatrix gasped and collapsed in a twitching heap onto the Atrium floor.

" _Harry Potter_!" Voldemort's unmistakable voice echoed across the open room. _"Avada Kedavra!"_

" _Expelliarmus!"_

 _Priori Incantatem_ exploded into being as the light from Harry and Voldemort's wands met. Harry could see the first of the ghosts making their way out of the explosion. Suddenly Voldemort disapparated with a pop. The spell vanished. He reappeared with another shout of the Killing curse, from a different place in the room.

" _Sumbarine Reflection_!" Neptune's attack met the green curse, knocking it off course. As a following " _World Shaking_ ," sent the floor under Voldemort's feet buckling. The Dark Lord disappeared in a cloud of smoke, reappearing and launching off a slew of other curses that Harry and the two Sailors ducked, parried, and dodged.

Until…

" _Animatem!"_ Voldemort hissed. His spell hit not Harry or the scouts, but the fountain at their back. The golden statues came alive and leaned down, grabbing Harry and the two Slytherins, restricting their wands and weapons. Harry kept one hand on the Prophecy in his pocket. The statue squeezed his wand hand so hard he lost his grip on the holly wand. It splashed into the fountain.

"Now," Voldemort said, levelling his wand once again at the Sailors. "Hand it over or I will kill them."

"Don't you dare," Haruka ordered.

"We're prepared to die."

"I'm sure you are," Voldemort said with a smirk. "But Potter here is not prepared to let you."

"Harry," Neptune said. "Don't give it to him."

Harry closed his eyes.

"Come on, Potter," Voldemort smiled. "Or they die, and then all your little friends down below us do as well."

Harry clenched his fists. He couldn't. He couldn't.

" _Avada,"_

"Wait!" Harry shouted.

" _NO!"_ Uranus and Neptune shouted beside him, but his left hand was already reaching into his pocket, pulling out the sphere.

Suddenly there was a snap, his wrist jerked painfully to the side and the prophecy shattered in his grip, Trelawney's ghost hovered over the Atrium floor.

" _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…"_ her voice began, trailing off into nothingness as her image dissolved into wisps of smoke.

" _NO!"_ Voldemort whirled around as Harry and the scouts turned too, towards the source of the spell.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Dumbledore said, wand aimed at Voldemort. "I can't let you do that."

"Dumbledore," Voldemort laughed, his own wand at the ready. "You believe you're a match for me?"

"You and I both know the answer to that Tom," and with that he shouted a curse of his own, and a thin jet of fire exploded from his wand. Voldemort dismissed it and stepped through the smoke, another curse already shooting from his wand. Dumbledore dodged, another spell shot forth. Voldemort disapparated, reappearing right behind the headmaster.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_ he shouted, but Dumbledore summoned a stray bit of stone from the floor, it exploded as the curse hit it, dust filling the air in a cloud as the duel continued.

Dumbledore shot spell after spell, which Voldemort parried and blocked. Killing curses continued to fly. One shot straight towards Uranus, but Fawkes appeared in front of her with a high pitched thrill. The green light hit the phoenix as it exploded, burning feathers drifting down to the Atrium floor.

"Cheap tricks, Dumbledore," Voldemort taunted. "Is this what I get from the Greatest Wizard ever known?"

But Dumbledore's spells continued, one after the other. " _Reducto," "Verdemillion," "Depulso_ …"

"He's losing," Neptune murmured.

"No he's not!" Harry shouted.

"No she's right: He's saying all his spells aloud," Uranus observed as she struggled against the statue restraining her. "And Voldemort has more."

Indeed, Voldemort's curses, clouds of unnatural smokes, and various transfigurations and conjurations soared towards Dumbledore amid a slew of killing curses. Meanwhile the Headmaster dodged, disapparated and apparated, and conjured shields and defensive spells, always moving…

But with no ground gained, Harry realized. And his spells were…even weak.

Both wizards cast a blasting curse at each other. The spells collided and Dumbledore's shattered into a spray of silver sparks, Voldemort's blasting curse knocking him back into a wall where he slumped down, the wrist of his wand hand twisted unnaturally.

"You're losing your touch," Voldemort snarled and he whipped around, wand towards Harry. " _Avada_ _Kedavra_."

He watched the green light as it approached, shooting across the Atrium. His heart jumped into his throat. His mother's screams filled his ears.

The Killing curse was close enough that he could feel the terrible cold radiating off the beam of light, when a soft _pop_ sounded. A figure appeared in front of him just in time for the Killing curse to strike them dead-on. They glowed green – from the toes of their white boots to the top of their black hair. Uranus and Neptune screamed and Harry gaped as the figure remained standing. A glowing green hand raised her glaive. The green light of the curse filled it until it faded. The Killing Curse vanished.

"Hmm," Saturn said as she examined her blade. "That tickled."

And she pointed the Glaive towards Voldemort. " _Silence Glaive Su –"_

Voldemort disapparated with a crack, but not before Harry saw his widened eyes and slack jawed expression.

And he felt it, the frigid emotion that shook him and made his heart race as his scar burned.

Voldemort was afraid.

The statue holding him released its hold, returning to its spot atop the fountain as Harry, Uranus, and Neptune fell into the shallow water. He looked behind them. Bellatrix was gone.

Saturn turned around, leaning heavily on her glaive. A tiny Phoenix fledgling chirping on her shoulder. Harry gaped at her as Uranus and Neptune stood, stumbling out of the fountain and pulling her into a firm hug.

"Are you okay?" she asked them.

Pops around the Atrium heralded the arrival of many new wizards. Including one with long black hair and an ashen face, who had his arm round Remus Lupin's shoulders.

Harry stared at him and then at Saturn – still being hugged tightly by Uranus and Neptune. One of Saturn's hands had reached up to rub her sternum. And Harry could see, at the apex of her Sailor collar, a still-green lightning bolt scar.

~ _SMH_ ~

The fourth floor of St. Mungos hadn't looked this crowded on an average Tuesday in quite sometime – at least since the last war. The night healers were pushed to their wits' end in the process of getting 4 teenagers, 1 auror, and an ex-convict (not to mention their entourage and _their_ minor injuries) into a ward – an oddessey in its own right – and that was _before_ treatment and paperwork. On top of that, there was the need to draw quills for which unlucky healers got dispatched to Azkaban to deal with an influx of "re-arrivals" as Dumbledore had put it. By the time the night shift ended: three of the day staff had been called in early, one Healer had fainted, and half of the Spell Damage staff had requested new rotations or extended holidays.

It was no wonder, given some of the havoc stemming from the simplest of tasks. It took a total of four healers and the promise of extra pudding (on top of extra discretion) to persuade Sirius Black into a hospital bed for observation. Then the healer in charge of his paperwork had to redo his chart four times – the fourth by hand as each attempt with the diagnostic quill turned up a result of _deceased_ beside patient status.

He was not the only difficult case either. Treating Aurors as commanding and cool as Kingsley Shacklebolt was nerve-wracking enough without being watched by Mad-Eye Moody himself. Insisting he stay in the waiting room wasn't an option. Mungos had learned years ago that it only led to his complaints and critiques being shouted across the whole ward, his magical eye scrutinizing the treatment of his aurors through the walls.

And even Moody had nothing on the students – the night certainly proved a firm reminder of how grateful Mungo's was of Poppy Pomphrey's excellence. Treating dark curses was a delicate matter on its own without the red haired boy confunded in the next bed demanding to know what you were doing, and if his girlfriend (at least the healers assumed) was going to be alright. Not to mention the Longbottom boy. The mostly junior healers might have worried a few years off their lives from the difficulty of trying to treat a level of cruciatus exposure not seen since since 81'. In the end, they floo-called the retired healer who'd treated his own parents for his advice – which amounted to little more than cursing and the suggestion of a dash of firewhiskey in their post-shift tea.

In the chaos, they ended up paying very little attention to the transfer students. Aside from a blond with a serious case of magical exhaustion, they were barely bruised. They stayed out of the way and even stepped in to help when the healers were overwhelmed.

By the time all their patients had been processed, treated, and had their paperwork filled out, it was decided that the lot of them may as well spend the night – what little there was left of it. Moody had left, dragged away by a grumpy and exhausted Nymphadora Tonks. Dumbledore had stayed long enough to see to it all his students would be fine, then asked Harry to accompany him back to the castle. Harry had protested, wanted to remain where he was, watching over Sirius with Remus. But Dumbledore had said something about answers that had convinced the teenager to follow him. They had walked across the ward to speak to Mcgonagall, and finally departed for Hogwarts via floo.

The rest of their party stayed – many in extra cots transfigured from chairs and curtains. It would be far easier, Setsuna had said, then the fanfare that would accompany their early-morning return to the castle. Only Neville and Minako had been recommended to stay a few extra days for observation. Minako had scoffed "I'll be out of bed tomorrow," and the senior healer had rolled her eyes. If that girl so much as managed to stand up tomorrow, she'd sing _The Weird Sisters'_ latest hit at the next Christmas karaoke party.

The day's first rounds ended just after dawn, during which all save a few occupants of the ward seemed to be asleep. The aqua-haired seventh year might have been asleep like the first year girl using her shoulder as a pillow. But the healers noticed the seventh year's hand still held her wand ready at her side. Similarly, no one was convinced the green haired professor and the blond seventh year sitting up and resting across from each other on the windowsill could actually be asleep – they looked too much like aurors keeping watch. Nor were the healers at all sure in the cast of the young Weasley girl, who lay too stiffly to be truly asleep.

There was though, one occupant of the ward that the staff could clearly see was awake. The girl called Usagi Tsukino had only nodded at the healers who told her sleep would do her good. She'd remained on her back with her blankets kicked away and her arms behind her head, blue eyes staring intently at the watermarks and raised specs of plaster on the ceiling tiles.

 _Mamo-chan_ , she thought. _We found Jadeite_. She looked across the ward at Ginny – still pretending to sleep as she stared over at the two cots that held her brother and Hermione. _Their uniform was so pretty…_ she sighed, focusing on the ceiling again. _I didn't even remember your guardians_ had _uniforms like that…_

 _Is it gonna take us just as long to find the others…and then you_. She frowned and furrowed her brows as she stared at a particularly dark watermark and listened to the breathing of those around her.

 _Jadeite's nicer you know…now that they're not brainwashed,_ she thought. _They called me "My Queen_ …"

She had barely registered Jadeite's words when she'd taken on her royal form to guide Saturn home… but remembering it now, she had felt different.

Usually, Serenity was full of passion, even rage – a feeling tied strongly to that final battle in The Moon Kingdom, the pain of which had always risen up fresh in her mind whenever she'd assumed the form.

And always Serenity had felt the lingering guilt: the need to do better, to stop darkness now as she had never been strong enough to before.

She had not felt like that this time. In lieu of passion had been calm determination. Instead of burning rage, she had felt cool, steady, and sure.

She recalled feeling like that only once – in her brief visit to 30th century Earth when the spirit of her future self had merged with her to help her battle The Black Moon Clan...

Except… in the Department of Mysteries, she had been entirely herself.

Usagi reached into her pocket and drew the willow wand, twirling it between her fingers.

 _I didn't become my past self,_ Usagi surmised. _I became… my future self… my current self?_ She touched her other hand to the locket tucked beneath her robes. _What was different this time?_

She had just about decided that she'd puzzled herself enough and might be due for a nap when she heard a crash, then someone in the ward gasp and curse. She sat up on her cot and looked towards the sound – from the closest person to the door.

"Neville?" she whispered, standing up and rushing on tiptoes across the room. Rei and Makoto stirred as she passed, but neither woke. On the windowsill, Haruka peeked open one eye as she watched Usagi help Neville off the floor and resettle him in the wheelchair he'd been trying to get into on his own.

"Thanks," Neville muttered, blushing as he looked down at his lap, staring hard at his still-trembling hands. "Thought my legs would be steadier." He sighed. "Sorry."

"Why are you sorry," Usagi said, bending down to his eye level. "You didn't get hurt when you fell, did you?"

"No," Neville swallowed hard. "Not anymore than I am, I mean."

"Did you er… want to go for a walk or something? I mean I know it's kinda crowded in here,"  
Neville shrugged. "Sorta that, yeah." He slowly slid his hands over the side of the wheelchair and fumbled for the wheels.

"Wait," Usagi said, going around to the back of the wheelchair. "I can help,"

"I'm fine," Neville said quickly and grimaced as another muscle spasm seized him.

"Hang on!" They'd given him something for these. Usagi rushed to his hospital bed and grabbed a vial of mint-green potion from the tray beside it. She uncorked it and handed it to Neville, helping him curl his fingers around the glass.

He downed it as quickly as he could and made a face at the taste. But immediately his body relaxed and the trembling in his hands lessened. "Thanks."

"You're really not in any state to move," Usagi worried. "If… if its private I could just wheel you there. And you could shout for me or something when you wanted to be wheeled back."

"Uh, they really don't like you shouting in… never mind." Neville shook his head. "I don't mind if you come along, really. I've just never gone with anyone but Gran before."

"Oh?" She frowned, walking round the back of the chair. "Are you visiting someone?"

Neville nodded. Crossing his arms in front of himself. He nodded to the door. "They're on this floor… to the left."

The narrow windows that lined one side of the hall let in thin slates of rose-pink sunlight that stretched across the floor and up onto the closed doors of the wards.

"That one," Neville said, pointing to one set at the very end of the hall.

_The Janus Thickley Ward:_

_Long-term Care_

Usagi tried the door, but it was locked. She frowned. "Hold on," and stepped back a few paces. She'd seen Mina, Haruka, and Makoto do this enough times. If she ran at it with enough speed and slammed into it just right…

"Uh," Neville said. "I think _Alohomora_ should unlock it."

"Er…" Usagi froze and straightened up, scratching the back of her head as she gave a nervous laugh. "Right of course."

A few seconds later and she was pushing the door open, taking in the look of this new ward. It was different than their own, much more personalized. There were stylish curtains around some of the beds and even some comfortable chairs over by a low-burning fire in the hearth. And each of the beds, she noticed, had many pictures, spare clothes, or even a writing desk surrounding them.

"There," Neville said, raising an unsteady hand to point off to her right.

She knew who these must be immediately as she backed Neville's chair in between their beds. The woman had his same dark-blond hair; the man, his jaw-line and his nose. Why she bet, if they'd been awake, one or both would have shared his blue eyes.

"Thanks," Neville said as she stepped out from behind the chair. "You can go…if you want."

"I…" Usagi frowned. "If you want me to go, I will… But I want to stay," she insisted. "I don't want you to be alone."

Neville smiled. "Thanks, Usa." And she watched as he turned towards the bed on the left, where the man slept, snoring softly. "Hi Dad," Neville said. "I uh," he cleared his throat and one of his hands fumbled in his pocket until he'd pulled out two pieces of dark wood held together by a fraying red thread. _His wand,_ Usagi realized. "I broke your wand, Dad." He said, reaching to place the two pieces on top of the covers. "I'm sorry."

His father stirred, but his eyes didn't open.

"Gran's gonna kill me," Neville continued. "I uh… I'm not too hurt though. I promise. It was a good wand. And, and I felt like a real auror tonight. I helped Harry and my friends… just like you and Mom," Neville finished in a whisper.

Usagi watched as his father's hand twitched on top of his covers, his eyes moved beneath his eyelids. But he made no sounds, save his soft snoring, as his son watched over him.

 _I didn't even realize his parents were alive_. Usagi thought.

Neville's mother whispered something incoherent and blinked her eyes open, leaning over and lifting her thin arm to tap Neville on the shoulder. He turned around, a small smile gracing his face.

"Hi, Mum," he said, reaching into his other pocket and pulling out a sweet candy. His mother returned his soft smile as she took the sweet from his hand and reached under her pillow, pulling out an empty sweet wrapper with very similar colours and pressing it into Neville's empty palm.

"Thanks," he rasped and cleared his throat.

"Do they live here," Usagi blurted out, and Neville turned to look at her. His mother settled back on her pillow and folded her hands under her chin, twiddling her thumbs as she looked on with a small smile.

"Yeah." Neville said, looking down. "They were attacked when I was little by," and he glanced at both of them and lowered his voice "Lestrange."

"That's awful." Usagi whispered, bending down so they were closer to eye level. She put her hands over his on the arms of his chair. "Did she do to them what she did to you?"

Neville nodded. "All the healers today kept saying how lucky I was," he mumbled. "I hate it."

"And…" And Usagi looked all around the ward – all together just 10 beds. "And all of them took the Cruciatus too?"

"Just that man there," Neville said, waving towards the bed across the way. "But Lockhart's in for obliviating himself, and she," he waved at a woman who appeared covered in fur. "Had her polyjuice potion poisoned. Husband claims it was an animagus attempt gone wrong, but I've heard the healers arguing about it enough to know."

"And magic can't help any of them?"

"It helps a little," Neville said with a slight smile. "Mum's improved a lot since I was younger. Dad… well they said progress would be really slow. Gran's convinced this is as well as they'll get but…" he looked down at the sweet wrapper in his hand. "I think if we just keep working with them… maybe…"

Usagi looked round at all of the peacefully sleeping people and at Neville who had yet to look away from the sweet wrapper.

 _Wix magic can't do anything,_ she realized. _But maybe mine can._ She took a few steps away from Neville's chair, her feet stepping out into the center of the ward. Her eyes scanned over the patients, and she felt the same cool, assured feeling she had felt as Serenity settle over her. _I can make them better_. She held the Silver Crystal's locket in one hand. And raised the Willow wand.

"Usag…" Neville began to ask as he saw her close her eyes and lift her wand. But then her head snapped back, blond hair waving in some unseen wind. He saw a crescent mark begin to glow on her forehead.

And then the same white light that had surrounded her in the Death Chamber pulsed out of the willow wand, ripples spreading across the ward and over all the beds.

Neville gasped as the acute pain in his body vanished as the warm white light filled him. He raised his hands. The tremors had stopped.

Behind him, he heard someone gasp. " _Neville!_ "

He stood up so fast he knocked over the wheelchair and spun around, watching as his mother sat up, staring at him as she pressed one hand to her head. As she stood up, he saw his father's eyes blink open. He yawned, sat up, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. And when he turned to look at Neville his eyes grew wide as he stared. And gaped.

" _My boy,"_ Frank Longbottom said as he got out of bed for the first time in fourteen years.

Neville threw himself towards them as the healing white light continued to spread through the ward.

Serenity smiled as she heard the Longbottoms exchange "I love yous" with their son. She let the power of the Silver Crystal continue to fill the Janus Thickley ward. A few beds away, a man surrounded by self portraits gasped as his memories returned to him. At the end of the ward, a woman stared at her hands as the fur that had covered them for five years shrank away.

 _Live well_ , Serenity thought to all of them as she pushed her magic out beyond the ward into the rest of the hospital. There was a transfiguration professor a few wards away she could ensure made a 100 percent recovery, a dear friend whose strength Serenity returned, and two new friends from whom Serenity banished the lingering traces of dark magic.

She carried on, letting her magic flood through the entire fourth floor and the three below. It was so bright that muggles beginning their commute on the streets outside swore there must have been some explosion in the old department store.

But when the light disappeared moments later, and the store's dark façade was still intact, those walking the streets, dozing on the buses, or riding in the cars shook their heads, rubbed their eyes, and promised themselves another coffee the minute they got into the office.

Neville pulled out of his parents embrace as he felt the cool magic around them fade. He turned around and stared at Usagi as the white light rushed back into the willow wand, and her hair and clothes became still once more. He heard her shoes clack as they tapped against the floor and saw her sway, rushing forwards to catch her.

"I've got her," Haruka said, and he noticed her standing behind Usagi for the first time. The Slytherin seventh year swept Usagi up in her arms. "Setsuna said you'd try this," she said, shaking her head as she settled Usagi in her arms.

Usagi blinked her eyes open. The girl blinked her eyes open.

"Mamo-chan?" she whispered.

Haruka blushed and shook her head. "You'd like that wouldn't you," she chuckled as Usagi sighed, her head falling against Haruka's shoulder.

"I healed everyone."

"I noticed," Haruka said, nodding to Neville and his parents. "Neville."

"What was that," Neville breathed, glancing between Usagi and his parents. "Is…is she alright."

"She's fine." Haruka said, smiling fondly at her. "Just over did it a bit."

Usagi mumbled something he couldn't hear.

Just then the door of the ward slammed open and a group of healers rushed in, going from bed to bed – all speaking over each other, and all of them gasping and rushing towards them as soon as they noticed Alice and Frank.

"Merlin!"

"Sir, are you alright?"

"Do you know what day it is?"

"Certainly not," Frank dismissed them as the healers swarmed around the three of them. "Get that wand out of my face. I say – my Mother's alive is she not? I'd like to floo her."

"Neville?" his mother asked. "You were hurt when you came in – what happened?"

Neville opened and closed his mouth, trying to come up with words over the rapid fire questions from the healers around them. He caught sight of Haruka over two of their heads. The seventh year slipping quietly out of the ward with Usagi amid the confusion.

 _How did Usako do that?_ He thought.

"Neville," Frank's rough voice broke through his thoughts. "Is that my wand?"

~ _SMH_ ~

The senior healer would indeed be singing karaoke at the next Christmas party because Minako Aino was up and about and telling all the healers they were returning to Hogwarts as soon as the commotion involved in realizing that every patient in the hospital had been completely healed had settled somewhat.

The students had left the hospital as soon as they were all awake, Usagi still dozing. Makoto carried her piggy-back style as they left Mungos premise. Via a port key provided by a fully healed, and very curious Professor Mcgonagall. All of them but Neville went along.

"I think the Longbottom Family's long overdue for a family day or three." Minerva'd said when Ron asked.

They arrived in the Hogwarts Entrance hall when the rest of the school was sitting down to breakfast. They watched Minerva throw open the doors and wave to Dumbledore, already returned to his seat at the staff table, as Hooch knocked over her chair and rushed around the table and down the aisle to greet her.

"There'll be a huge commotion if we go in," Setsuna said.

"No," Usagi complained, finally slipping down from Makoto's shoulders. "I want food!"

"What about the kitchens?" Luna Lovegood suggested.

"Oh!" Makoto grinned. "Luna that's perfect – come on," she said beckoning her friends. "I know where to find those."

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny went to follow.

"Wait," Luna said, smiling at them. "I think they need some time to themselves."

"But," Ginny began to say.

"But I have questions!" Hermione blurted out. "Like…did Hotaru really save Sirius? And…and _how_ did Usagi heal the entire hospital?"

"And Harry said something about Voldemort," Ron said. "Was he really at the ministry?"

"Ginny can explain," Luna smiled.

Ginny looked after the scouts and sighed. She desperately wanted to follow them. To ask about the Prince… and the other knights.

"You can go find them after breakfast," Luna said.

Ginny sighed. "Alright but come on," Ginny said, beckoning them inside. "I want food – and I'm only explaining this to you and Harry once."

~ _SMH_ ~

The elves were only too happy to settle them all around the big table in the kitchen and provide Makoto – who they said had brought them an impressive number of recipes over the course of the year – with everything the big group could want to eat.

Once they'd retreated to their tasks, finished the foot being sent up for breakfast and collecting the massive number of empty dishes being sent back, the scouts settled in for a quiet meal together.

"You're looking better," Ami observed as Usagi dug into a second omelette. "I think that's the fastest I've ever seen you recover from using the crystal."

"Though you really didn't need to use it twice in a day," Rei nagged her.

"I did thought," Usagi said, swallowing the last of the omelette. "The people in that ward…they'd never have gotten better otherwise. I could help them," Usagi said. "I knew I was strong enough and I did it. Like…when I helped Saturn. I knew I was strong enough to find her and I did it."

The scouts all leaned towards her as she looked down at her hot chocolate, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Serenity felt different this time," Usagi confessed to them. "And…when I transformed at the ministry, Jadeite called me my Queen."

"And you've only been a princess before," Ami realized. "Why…even we've never called you by that title."

"Mhmm," Usagi agreed. "I keep wondering what was different…and I realized that yesterday was the first time I've become Serenity without," they strained to hear her as her voice dropped to a whisper. "ever thinking of Mamo-chan."

"Usagi," Rei said, reaching out along with Ami to put her hand on Usagi's shoulder. Mina and Makoto reached out for her from either side of them and across the table, the outer senshi leaned closer.

"I think… she used to draw all her strength from him, and from you." Usagi added. "And I think between Galaxia and now…I've drawn less and less strength from him, and even you. And more from myself," she looked up and smiled at time. "I always wondered how I'd ever become my future self. And I realized that's what Serenity felt like yesterday. I saved Hotaru and Sirius," she grinned at the youngest senshi. "Because I knew I could. And I healed the hospital because I knew I could."

"You always could," Setsuna reminded her. "The power's always been inside you."

"I know," Usagi said, straightening up and holding her head high. "And I think, I finally feel strong enough to handle it all on my own. And I haven't given up on finding Mamo-chan either. We found Jadeite – I _know_ we'll find him too."

The scouts grinned at her. "Now that's what a queen sounds like," Minako grinned, pounding her fist against the table.

"What are we going to do going forward anyway?" Haruka asked, looking to Setsuna. "Michiru and I are graduating with this class."

"I've been considering that too." Setsuna said. "Wix space is becoming clearer to me. It might be easier next year – Minerva's actually brought it up before – to seek out the Shittenou's objects from outside Hogwarts. We'd have freer reign, and we'd have Jadeite here to look for any other students awakening with memories." She nodded to the inner senshi across the table. "You'd all get more time with your families. You could enrol back at Juuban as well."

"It would help us keep our distance from this war they're starting." Michiru added.

"No," Usagi declared, shaking her head. "The war's the reason we should stay."

"It may not be wise," Setsuna cautioned. "The longer we stay visible the more curious Voldemort will get about us. I fear what dark magic he might experiment with – especially as we know he was able to use the Death Buster technology."

"He's scary enough without it the way Stebbins talks," Makoto said.

"Right," Usagi said. "We could help them beat him. But we need to learn more magic." And she laughed as the inner senshi all stared at her, wide eyed. "What," She grinned, drawing the willow wand in her fist. "I'm actually good at their school stuff."

"I just never thought I'd hear the day." Ami mumbled.

"You'd have more time to look for Mamo and the Shitennou if you weren't in class all day," Setsuna reminded Usagi.

"I…maybe." Usagi said. "But I keep thinking – every time we've met in the past it was by accident. I didn't remember him at all. I wasn't looking for him." She looked around at all of them. "Maybe if I stop looking – that's when I'll find him." She sighed. "That's more romantic anyways isn't it? Even before he remembered – I'd get to fall in love with him all over again."

"Or you could fall in love with someone else," Rei teased and Usagi's face grew red.

"I could never," she fumed. "Mamo-chan is my soulmate."

"Is that what you said to Seiya last year," Minako teased and everyone around the table laughed.

"I… I,"

"Don't listen to them," Michiru said warmly. "Just trust your heart, it'll always lead you to the ones you love."

They were quiet for a while, sipping tea or coffee and trading smiles.

"So," Hotaru said. "Are we actually coming back next year – could I try out for Quidditch?"

"Absolutely," Setsuna said.

"What is it with all of you and broomsticks?" Michiru said. "They're death traps."

"They're fast," Haruka grinned. "We'll be at every game – blue looks better on me than green anyways." She said as the other laughed.

"It would be fun to play more Quidditch," Makoto said. "Oh! And I'd get a Little next year!" she pumped her fist. "I'mma spoil them rotten."

"And with Umbridge gone, I can help Flitwick set the duelling club back up," Minako said.

"As much as I'm dreading taking my leaving exams after two year away," Ami smiled. "I… actually don't mind staying here. It's nice – usually if I'm not with you after school I'm at home by myself. Mum works till late. And Transfiguration is really interesting!"

"I don't think this war will stay away from Hogwarts either," Rei said. "Harry and everyone seem to be marching right into the middle of it."

"Then we're staying," Usagi decided as they all nodded. "We'll defeat Voldemort together."

"Then it's settled," Setsuna said. "We'll return, after the summer." She smiled at them. "The timeline looks quiet enough that you all can spend a few months with your families."

"Wait – but students aren't allowed to use magic outside of school!" Mina exclaimed. "Does that mean no duelling _all_ summer?"

Setsuna smirked at her as the others chuckled. "You survived just fine in the non-magical world before," she told Minako. "I think you'll live."

"Ah the perks of being of age," Haruka grinned at Michiru. "We can use magic whenever we want."

"That's not _fair_ ," Minako exclaimed, levitating a roll and chucking it at Haruka.

~ _SMH_ ~

"So you're like a Sailor now?" Harry asked Ginny as Ron, Hermione, Luna, and the two of them were leaving the dining hall. Conversation had been restricted inside by all the other students clamouring to speak with them and to hear details.

"A knight," Ginny said. "It's… really weird. All his memories are in my head."

" _He_?"

Ginny nodded, twirling her hair and ducking her head as she blushed. "That part…I mean that doesn't matter."

"Why would it?" Harry asked. "I only meant… must be weird for you."

"Not as much as you'd think," Ginny said. "I keep thinking it should be – cause, like, he lived a whole life – _two_ even. But he just feels like me. It's nothing like Riddle."

"Good," Harry nodded.

"So you if you have all his memories," Hermione asked, leaning around Ron and Harry to look at her. "Do you know why they're here?"

"They're looking for Prince Endymion," Ginny said. "Oh gosh, should I be telling you that?"

"Who cares!" Ron exclaimed. "Blimey a prince of _what_?"

"The Earth."

"Merlin's balls!"

"That's impossible!" Hermione said, not even bothering to correct Ron's language.

"Maybe he's the chosen one," Luna whispered and they turned to where she walked slightly behind them on Ginny's right. "Like in my prophecy,"

"Actually that's me," Harry said. "It was in the other one."

"You heard the other one?" the three other Gryffindors demanded.

Harry nodded, "Why don't we go up to the room of requirement," he said. "I don't want anyone to overhear."

Dumbledore had told him as soon as they'd left the hospital last night, and Harry had thought of Sybil Trelawney's prophecy all night as he'd wandered the castle and the grounds.

" _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches,"_ Dumbledore's memory of Sybil had decreed. " _Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."_

He was the chosen one. He rubbed the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. The mark of an Equal.

But not the only mark now. Lord Voldemort had left Hotaru with an identical scar just the night before.

Would it burn as his did? Would Hotaru have visions of Voldemort too?

He thought of the lost prophecy Neville had smashed, and knew, from the frown on Luna's face. That she was thinking of it too.

" _As the sun sets on the Elder stewart, the Chosen one becomes a pair…"_

Dumbledore had said he didn't even know the second prophecy existed.

"I bit of advice from an old man," Dumbledore had said. "Put it out of your mind. If we think too much about is unknown, very often it comes back to bite us worse than it would have otherwise." He'd smiled. "It is nearly summer Mr. Potter. The best thing you and your friends can do is enjoy it while you can."

Harry still felt restless, felt it was hardly the time to be enjoying the summer with Voldemort breaking into the ministry. And though they'd rounded up the Death Eaters who hadn't fled and sent them back to Azkaban, Bellatrix Lestrange had escaped. He couldn't see what the use was scribbling useless History of Magic essays for his summer homework when it seemed there was a war starting outside Hogwarts grounds.

But, he smiled, at least some good would come out of this summer. His hand went to the letter Sirius had sent him at Breakfast.

His godfather was being Pardoned. Which meant he was a free man once more. And while Grimmauld place was still the securest location for him to reside, he would not be trapped there.

Furthermore, he'd said, he'd already got the paperwork started to gain custody of Harry.

 _The minister's promised to put a rush job on it,_ Sirius had written _As he should. Dumbledore might complain, but I don't care. So you'd better have yourself prepared for a lot of pranks this summer – we've got a lot of time to make up for training you in the ways of the Marauders._

_I told Remus we could just take you out of school now – not like you learn anything the last two weeks anyways. But he said no. So we'll pick you up from Kings Cross in June 7_ _th_ _, Cub. Don't be late._

Harry grinned to himself as they began to climb the stairs to the Room of Requirement.

For the first time in his life – he couldn't wait for summer.

~ _Mischief Managed~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for Book 5! "Sailor Moon H: The Half-blood Prince" will be launch on July 31st, 2016!


End file.
